Iced Coffee
by Anonymous Fan of Writing
Summary: Garp had adopted Katie along his visits to Foosha Village. Three years before Luffy sails off, Katie moves to Marineford to make her dreams come true with her legally adopted grandfather's help and Sengoku, her second grandpa. What happens when a lazy admiral meets a go-getter of a granddaughter who can't stomach violence yet is a monster herself? They say opposites attract.
1. Marineford

**Hello! I want to say thank you for choosing to read this story as it unfolds. I have put my other story on hold due to work and writer's block. I decided to go a bit more old school and dive deep into the enriched story of One Piece. Here's a little brief note. Zephyr is a man who didn't lose his family but almost. (He's one of my favorite characters outside the cannon story)**

 **He is older, I went with an even 50 years of age. I did this since he's a non cannon character and it made the transition in the story easier. You'll see a few appearances from non cannon characters but that's to not take away from the story itself. I hope you all enjoy this and let me know what you think!**

The day on Marineford was clear and sunny. Just how Katie's mother, Angela, had said it would be. The entire island was massive. The young brunette with a long pony tail thought as her ship slowly made it's way towards it with warm air blowing gingerly about. Dark blue hues could see the large white structures against dark green patches of trees and a massive crowd waiting for the Galathee to arrive. As seagulls soared through the air, the image was rather iconic just as it was on the post card she had received in her home town, Foosha Village.

As the large passenger ship ported, the riding marines coming back from either leave or those that rode along to protect it from pirates, simply helped the more civilian side of things by either carrying luggage or simply helping by giving instructions. While many had stopped to ask the vertically challenged woman if she needed help, the young female simply shook her head and shooed them along.

In Katie's possessions, the twenty three year old slung one very large dark green duffel bag over her shoulder that merely stood two feet taller and much wider than her petite frame. The weight had no baring on the slightly shorter than average female. Her nostrils flared as the aroma of the bay had entered her senses along with a hint of warm cologne mixed well with subtle perfumes from the passengers. Excitement caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. The brunette could barely retain herself and it was very clear as he bounced on her toes.

The buzz of people's voices, graced over by the calling of birds soon drowned out the noises made by creaking docks and heavy foot steps as people began to file one by one off the ship with a station of marines at the end of the row checking their invites and paperwork. Patiently, albeit she would rather not have been, her ocean blue hues scoured the crowd awaiting their loved ones such as soldiers coming to greet their spouse or coming home to their families. The man who was supposed to be there awaiting for her arrival, alas wasn't there. Not that she could see at the moment.

A dreaded sigh left the young woman's supple lips as her shoulders slumped slightly forward. To fill in the due process to live on the island, it was said to have been easier to have the Marine who invited you too have accompanied you to the office. That's why her grandfather swore he wouldn't miss it for the world but it seemed fate had another trick up it's sleeve.

"Hmm", she heard a deep rumble of an opening conversation begin. "Can't spot the person you hoped to see", a rather tall man who seemed in his upper age inquired curiously.

Katie's head turned to her right side. The tiny woman whom wore a dark green sun dress with small sunflower floral pattern on the fabric, shifted to face the origin of the deep resonating sound. Her eyes grew in size as she was shocked to see a man his size before her. He was huge! The marine had short violet hair, matching suit with a polka-dot tie, and stood next to her. His white coat draped over his shoulders added to his rather overwhelming appearance. Her own reaction earned a bit of a tug at the corner of his lips. There was some joy in seeing people react to his size.

After the initial shock that someone built like a brick house seemed to be speaking to her, Katie slapped her own cheeks with determination. Her puffy expression even garnered a slight surprised expression from the seemingly stoic man before her. The young woman's heart hammered and to the brunette, it felt as if she was going to fall over at any moment but she quickly regained herself. This was the first conversation with another marine other than her grandfathers. She couldn't help but be a little excited.

"That's actually correct", she sighed in defeat before scrambling to explain her words a bit more in detail despite her being curious on how the man knew about her blight. "But! I'm one hundred percent certain that he's here or will be soon. Grandpa isn't one to break a promise and definitely not one to let anything hold him back even if he can be absent minded, stubborn, loud, obnoxious, and worst... a cookie stealing glutton." A scowl formed over the young woman's face followed by a beaming, proud smile revealing Katie's trusting and animated nature.

The man before her had developed a shadow over his own eyes. His spine had become stiff as there were only a few possibilities that this mysterious grandpa could be and he didn't care for any of the answers. He also was taken back a bit by the simple fact that she was here for her grandfather and not a love sick fool like many of the women aboard the vessel. "What's the name of your grandpa, dear", he asked politely but retaining the same dark and stern expression while keeping his large hands in his pockets.

"Grandpa Garp", she spoke nonchalantly as if the man's accomplishments and strength were merely normal and nothing to be too proud of. To her, the world's hero had been a regular marine and a grandfather. But the instructor absolutely knew better than that. He was an unchecked monster for the most part.

The answer dropped like a rock in the purple haired officer's lower stomach. It meant chaos had rode with them the entire trip yet nothing out of the ordinary happened which in itself was perplexing. "Are you sure, you're that man's granddaughter", he asked with disbelief in his tone as his arms slowly crossed over his chest. He was in defensive mode now. Garp had a way of popping up at the most inconvenient times and causing more trouble than it was worth.

"Hmmm", she cocked her head to the side like a question herself. Fortunately, Katie had the papers in her right hand as instructed earlier at breakfast by the captain of the ship. Everyone who was new openly carried their documents for review. It was to stop anyone who didn't belong, from sneaking on the island. There was not only a long waiting list but there were many rules and regulations one had to follow to live there.

"Here", she offered her travel booklet, papers, and her permission to arrive at the island. Only family members could confine themselves to this large piece of land and they needed permission to both enter and to leave, unless one served in the marines for a while. She had not thus the brunette needed written permission from her local marine office, as well as a written invite from a family member living at Marineford, a record check, and of course bank details to prove she wasn't dodging anything financial either.

The large man proceeded to set down his own black duffel that had rested upon his large left shoulder as the two stood in an excruciating slow line. For a man of rank, the marine was already waiting at the tail end. Like the rest he was anxious to meet up with his wife and son but because he was a vice-admiral and an instructor, it was his duty to see ever soldier off the vessel even if it wasn't his own. Having a bit of company was pleasant and further more, the young woman seemed relaxed as she placed her belongings to sit next to her.

"The name is Katie... Laurel M. Katelyn...", she added with another innocent smile. "But please don't use that name", the twenty three year old asked with dread in her tone. "Grandpa uses it when he's angry", she explained.

The violet haired man chuckled. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his thin lip as his eyes scanned over her papers reading bits of important information. "Vice-admiral Zephyr at your service..."

Katie went on to do something that wasn't often done. She politely bowed at the waist with her hands folded delicately in front of her. "Thank you for your service", the brunette spoke softly. If that wasn't a boost to both the moral and ego, he didn't know what was. People had thanked him before but a granddaughter of Garp's had just lowered her head in a humble manner. Despite this, his observant eyes still couldn't see a resemblance. She was eye catching and very attractive despite her slightly smaller, yet endowed stature. There was no way that man could have sired such a woman even with a generation between them. Furthermore, her paperwork was spot on and put together better than he had ever seen. Hell, he'd pass her himself if he didn't have this suspicion in the back of his mind. He knew Garp enough to know full well that his reports were rather lacking and handwriting was atrocious.

"Hello...", a familiar voice rang over a megaphone. "Testing... Testing...", the voice continued as the front of Garp's ship came slowly into appearance from behind the bay the passenger ship was docked in. The iconic dog figurehead in front with the HQ-3 was visible from the front massive sail. "Katie! Katie dear, yell if you can hear me!"

Shock and excitement could no longer be contained by the younger female. A wide grin touched her lips as an enthusiastic squeal dislodged from her throat. Before anyone could say or do anything, Katie was standing on the back side of the deck. Her feet free of the sandals she had donned and stood on the thick white railing of the passenger ship while waving uncontrollably with both hands over her head. The warm mid-afternoon winds were starting to pick up as her dress ruffled about revealing just well toned her thighs were. Once Garp spotted her, the vice-admiral's trade mark laughter filled the bay with exquisite joy.

"Ooohhh! You look just like your mother", he praised as he seemed rather surprised. The graying vice-admiral went on as his ship was beginning to gain speed. "Katie! I'm sorry but grandpa has to go to work! I'll be back soon", Garp added with a joyful smile. Clearly he was excited and grateful to see his granddaughter.

"Hurry back! I want to show you I can beat your one thumb push up record", she responded by cupping her hands over her mouth to yell. As expected, her declaration was given with a thumbs up by her, a wide grin rivaling that of Garp's, and her other hand folded into a fist perched on her hip. Her stance was just like his. Feet shoulder length apart and a straighten, dignified stance. .proud. The older marine seemed even more so than she. Amazed that the young woman could beat a record made by him, was a feat almost no person on the planet could accomplish it seemed.

Zephyr was half laughing and half crying on the inside for the very same reasons. She really was the hero's granddaughter and every bit just like him with a few differences. The brunette seemed a bit more level headed than he and even began scolding him for using a marine's megaphone for personal use after it was decided he would annihilate the enemy just to return to her. Dark grey eyes watched the bark haired female wish him good fortune as her grandfather furthered himself into the bright blue horizon. She was a bottle of chaos but with a bit more control, that much the instructor could conclude he had just seen.

The line of people had not budged as all eyes and ears were on the helter-skelter duo who had finished when Katie returned to Zephyr's side. The marine chuckled once again as he handed back her paperwork. "I want to apologize", the vice-admiral cleared his throat.

Katie perked her ears and chin as open hands took back her papers. She appeared confused to his words. As response to her innocent expression, he clenched his teeth as he watched large blue hues blink blankly at him. The more he thought about it, she was Garp's granddaughter and he was kicking himself for missing the smaller factors.

"I had my doubts you were that man's grandchild", Zephyr swallowed hard but tried to cover it with a gentle smile which was rarely ever seen. The idea further hammered down as marines standing by fell over in a shock. To everyone's surprise the brunette began to laugh. She waved it off showing no signs of being holding a grudge or even being insulted.

"No need! I'm used to it! After all I'm adopted", she paused and pointed to herself with quite an animated answer of sway hands and intermediate laughter. "It's complicated but he really is my grandpa and even swore he'd personally give a punch of reality to anyone who disagreed if I couldn't do it myself. But that brings us to why I'm here and not in the marines already", the young woman continued to add. "I don't have a heart to hurt someone unless it's absolutely... necessary. I don't like violence. I don't look down on it and I know it's needed especially when it comes to criminals, but it doesn't fit my personality or dreams. I swore I'd support the marines anyway I could with what I'm capable of doing. So grandpa helped me out, with surprisingly zero protests", she blurted in astonishment. "Something about how my idea was absolutely necessary... Honestly I think it's just a reason for him to have me closer to him plus my other grandpa pointed out there is no other place in this world for me but here. So kind of didn't have a choice...", an odd smirk formed as she reminisced briefly.

Zephyr nodded and listened to the young woman. She was talkative but that wasn't an issue. Her soft voice was pleasant to listen to and it kept his mind busy while he anxiously waited to greet his wife Mary and his son. The man's nerves were slowly unraveling but he was able to maintain his stoic nature or at least he thought.

He was surprised to see Katie leave her things next to him and only return with a table held out by one arm and two chairs back to back in the other. They were white and made of light weight material but to have gotten them so quickly, it was clear to the older marine that she was trained. This was no surprise as he knew Garp well enough. A beautiful granddaughter left in a village by herself without his eyes to watch over her, just screamed that the vice-admiral would correct it by showing her how to handle herself which also invoked a little bit of sympathy. Knowing Garp he wouldn't distinguish the difference between boys and girls; if Zephyr's assumption was correct, the old hero would probably have been even harsher in hopes to ensure she was safe even from the strongest of combatants but what peeked his curiosity was how she phrased things. He'd have to speak to his comrade about it later.

"What are you doing", he inquired as she remained quiet. The young woman in the loose fabric sun dress which he might add highlighted her form, slipped a chair behind him.

"Since this is going to take a while, I'm sure you're hanging back for the same reason as me. Having someone in a higher position doesn't absolve me from my duties as his grand kid. I want to personally make sure everyone gets off safely and help with any wrinkles between the marines and civilians. I know fuses are bound to get short waiting like this and the marines' hands are tied when it comes to a mouthy woman or a short tempered man. So why can't we be comfortable waiting?"

Zephyr couldn't help but chuckle at her deduction before he sat down and made himself comfortable. "You should be a marine. We could use someone like you", he assured but met with a shaking head.

"Sorry but even both grandpas agreed with me on that. I'd become a liability when it would come time to engage in a fight. I'd endanger my crew and the officers above me. I have no desire to have that on my conscious plus it would severely hinder my dreams and that simply isn't going to happen but despite that I promised I'd support the marines. I may not join their numbers but I can make damn sure they get something in return for their hard work!"

Zephyr could see her eyes nearly sparkle with determination as she plopped in her chair across the table from him. Both facing the long line of civilians and marines that led down a ramp onto the docks. The wait was going to be extremely painful for the man but it wasn't something that was going to last forever and it wasn't the first time for the vice-admiral either. The large officer crossed his legs and put a cigar in his mouth before lighting it with a wooden match from a box he kept in his breast pocket.

"Hmmm", the young woman contemplated briefly after watching the older man light up. "Are you the Zephyr that took a demotion from admiral after nearly losing his family a while back", Katie simply asked without thinking.

Dark grey eyes shifted towards her as teeth clenched his cigar. "Oye, oye, apparently someone has no tact. What of it", there was a tone that spoke in dangerous volumes despite it being rather low. He didn't like to, but the man was revealing just how sensitive the subject was to him.

"That's so cool", the brunette leaned over the table in his direction with stars practically forming in her eyes and fists pumping excitedly. He couldn't say he wasn't taken back by her response. A brief expression of surprise came to light as his wire rimmed glassed slipped down his nose to the tip.

"You're like a living legend! I heard a lot about you from grandpa! Also about three other dangerous yet eccentric admirals, but that discussion for another time", she waved her statement off. "He did give me a short warning concerning some of the upper echelon. As long as I'm not a criminal they aren't dangerous but he did make mention not to bother them if I have any problems. Either go to him directly or a few people on a list he mailed to me before my trip. Your name being one of them."

Zephyr whipped his head back as his signature, hearty laughter filled the cove the docks resided in. All eyes switched to the older man and young woman apparently having an easy going conversation. The purple haired gentleman couldn't stop while his lungs continued to fill with air and recycle it into a clear sound of both enjoyment and gratitude.

It was the first time other than his sons that someone thought of him as a legend. Many of his deeds were exaggerated but no less undeniable. By now his eldest was in an officer cadet school while his youngest was a fun surprise two years ago. He wasn't going to complain. He was a jolly man with a lovely wife and two good boys. The vice-admiral was also glad to hear he still had Garp's respect enough to be trusted with his granddaughter's well being if she ever found herself needing assistance.

Zephyr finally stopped with a wide grin touching both his ears. He gave his newly found friend Katie a thumbs up.


	2. My Grandpa

As time went by there wasn't an incident that the other marines couldn't handle. A child nearly falling off the ramp but merely caught by another soldier standing near. An elderly woman having back issues but simply didn't have to lift a finger to carry her luggage. Simple tasks that helped move things along smoothly. The only hold ups were those who didn't have their paper work in order or important documents missing and there seemed to be quite a few. Some took it with good stride while others not so well but the commanding officer, well the captain to be precise, in charge was the famous White Hunter Smoker. He seemed to be temporarily reassigned from Loguetown to help fill in on the shortage of staff to usher the new and old residents in over the course of the next few months. From what Katie could hear at her distance, he wasn't too pleased about the situation either.

Despite his stern disposition, the man was thorough. After over an hour and a half of waiting, he voice came in barking wondering why the ship wasn't fully dispatched yet. His gruff manner of doing things had the marines under his care fearing him and they began working nearly double time to carry out his orders.

Many of the passengers who were used to getting by on the the bare minimum requirements were sent to another station to sort their papers and to come back at a later time. He had a no nonsense policy no matter who the person was or who they were related too. Even the young brunette woman cringed every time she heard, "do you know who my husband is", or "if you would just let me go like you people have done in the past." There was even the occasional, "I out rank you", bit which lead for Zephyr to bluster outward reminding everyone he was still there. If he was alright with Smoker doing his duty then there was no room for argument.

The White Hunter's methods did cause a stir but it was proficient. People began asking the marines proper questions and not the typical spoiled ones like before. Yes the island was protected better than any other island in the world and yes, many of the privileged resided there. After all, an officer's pay wasn't something to merely brush off but it was based off hard work. Many spouses and children seemed to purposely miss that particular fact and even dare look down on the precious marines who were not yet ranked themselves.

With Smoker finally making it to the scene, things began to really move. This was much to the relief of a certain vice-admiral who could practically feel his wife in his arms. He missed her so much. This down time was long over due after his summons to a notorious pirate's hideout; unfortunately just happened to be an entire island on top of other things. The trip was long and exhausting.

Zephyr gave a heavy sigh. His bones cracked and popped as he stretched before puffing on his cigar. The man's darker grey eyes shifted to see a young woman adjusting her sandals she had taken off earlier. Her slim body was a result of hard work. He could see every inch of muscle despite it not being defined. The brunette must have been naturally strong, he concluded. To top off her beautiful angular features and sharp chin, the young woman had curves in all the right places. As a man he could admire a rare treasure such as herself but as a husband, he wasn't going to cross any lines. He loved Mary more than she'd ever know.

Feeling a bit facetious, the vice-admiral couldn't resist asking a few personal questions. Zephyr smiled almost devilishly before taking out his cigar to speak. "Katie... Can I ask about your personal hobbies", he started off with something simple. Something to set her up for later. The line was half way down the ramp, they still had quite a bit of time to kill.

Brilliant blue hues gazed up and blinked. "Sure thing", the brunette answered. "I'm into drawing, fishing, reading, building... I even built mom's house with the help of Grandpa Garp. Whenever he'd get time off, he'd make a straight line to see us", she added with a prideful smile neglecting the fact he had other family on the island but she had been asked to keep it all a secret. One that the vice-admiral utterly trusted her with.

"I'd also go swimming far off our coast as well. Many times I've landed myself on a marine ship patrolling the area. One time...", Katie paused as she began to snicker. She was desperately trying not to fall apart in a fit of laughter. "I got so mad at grandpa for leaving early... I swam after his coffer to give him a good yelling. I was six at the time... Of course I couldn't keep up so I did what any kid would do... Follow anyways. I lost course, his ship, everything. Four days later I was found by a marine vessel. On it was my other grandpa. Boy... that didn't turn out well for neither Grandpa Garp or me but that's just how it goes most of the time. Grandpa Garp is a laid back man who will always be there to help me up when I scrape my knees and elbows. He'll be the first to teach me how to do things to not get hurt again but my other grandpa... He'll step in _**before**_ I get into trouble. Often grandpa will yell at grandpa Garp for allowing me to do reckless things and then turn around and pull my ear until I listen to him about how to be more careful. Especially when he found out it was just me and my mom before grandpa Garp came into the picture."

Katie blinked and nearly appeared devastated. "I'm sorry! I took up too much explaining that! You simply asked about hobbies...", the female groaned with a worried expression. She was truly bothered by the fact that the subject had become side tracked and worse, one sided.

Zephyr bellowed out into another fit of laughter. He merely waved off her fears. "It's quite alright. It confirms my suspicions as to who your second grandfather is. You have made mention of him more than once without saying his name but it's easy to deduct. I do have to admit that's a lot on your shoulders. Your very presence represents two of the most powerful heroes in this world. I'm quite relieved you take your station quite seriously." The vice-admiral would have continued but he hesitated as he watched the color leave the young woman's cheeks. She seemed almost completely ill all of a sudden. "Are you ok", he inquired with worry in his volume as it dropped to softer tones.

The instructor had to give the young woman credit. She tried to smile but it seemed her expression was about to crack. It appeared that Katie was nervous with good reason. She was already at the top and bottom of other people's opinions when Garp made his entrance and exit. She probably didn't know where he stood with all the information but he trained with them, fought with them, and even commanded over Garp at one point. He wasn't afraid to box an ear or two, concerning either hero.

"I'm fine", she attempted to assure but seemed to be failing miserably. "I... How... I mean...", the female stammered before clearing her throat and trying again. "H...How did you know", a squeak formed into a soft spoken question.

Zephyr didn't take offense nor did he look down on her for bashful nature as many would simply because they would expect more from her. He could see she really didn't want others knowing who she was related to with sound reason. Many questions would form and thus Garp's granddaughter would have to relive this conversation over and over again. Not to mention as a quick previous thought, she seemed humbled and didn't wish to exploit her position as both the fleet-admiral's _**and**_ a vice-admiral's granddaughter. Too many people, for the wrong reasons, would seek her out and many would simply challenge the validity of the claim. But the vice-admiral knew both would become volatile if anyone questioned it out of malice. Especially since Garp publicly made a point to apologize for not being there for her arrival. Sengoku was a bit more level headed but Zephyr personally knew exactly how protective that man can get and quickly he would use his overwhelming strength to see his will done.

"Can we not talk about their names please", Katie uttered softly under her breath. "I don't want people to get the wrong idea nor do I want anything I do to reflect poorly on grandpa Sengoku. I know grandpa Garp can handle himself easily by brushing off anyone who would confront him but grandpa Sengoku isn't like that. Nor is he in a position to allow him to have such freedom. I'm already nervous that I'm going to say or do something outrageous to earn his ire."

The violet haired vice-admiral couldn't help but smile and nod. There wasn't much she could do to tarnish his reputation but there was a lot of stigma and rumor that come back to bite her if she didn't appear proper in the eyes of the marines and public. He honestly didn't come to realize any of that until he married. Mary revealed after one break down a few years ago, just how detrimental appearances were. Women and sometimes the men, were judged and it reflected the soldier they were related too by any means. Children couldn't escape the chains placed by society either. It was good to hear that Katie already knew the importance of it and had arrived somewhat prepared.

"So... To lighten the mood how about I ask another question", the instructor moved on with a jovial tone. Unknowingly that she was being set up, the young woman accepted. Her smile of relief was quite pleasant to gaze at. _Damn... She's quite the looker. Sengoku, Garp..., you bastards better be prepared for this. A beauty walking around a city filled with young, hot headed, marines. It was just begging for trouble_ , he confirmed in his own thoughts.

"Tell me... What do you think about being put on an island full of strong marines and since I can see that you traveled alone", the instructor asked in a very sly tone. A got-cha grin graced his lips as his eyes shifted forward in amusement.

Katie's reaction wasn't short of entertaining either. Her cheeks rushed with color and ears nearly lit up. After a long moment of silence and shock, the brunette regained her composure. "You're just like grandpa...", she adamantly responded with a rather nonthreatening scowl forming in her expression.

"Grandpa Garp asked me the same question with that same grin he always wears while my other grandpa answered it for me in a rather annoyed and loud manner. In his words, I would be too busy for anyone. There was no need to be bring that nonsense up... Right before he stole grandpa Garp's rice cakes and ate them himself. I could see the idea clearly irked him", she spoke in a ginger fashion. It was rather soothing and sound. It was so pleasant to the ears when she expressed herself in such a way. Zephyr could listen to her all day and he knew several marines that would as well.

"I assured grandpa not to worry about things like that. I was told grandpa Garp had found the perfect place for me to stay and build my dreams. I'll be utterly distracted by that for now but once I'm settled, I'll be to busy like grandpa said. Plus...", Katie sighed. "I doubt any marine worth his salt would like to get to know a boring person such as myself from a small and rather almost forgetful place like Foosha Village."

 _My god_ , the officer thought. If he wasn't married he'd be trying to garner her attention. She was very level headed for someone her age. The young woman was patient and so far her biggest, and possibly most appealing trait of her personality, was she was humble. Garp and Sengoku could have easily spoiled her but they didn't; it was obvious in her mentality and her physical form. She wasn't degrading herself or looking down on her own personality, as her happy expression revealed. The woman was simply ignorant of how much she was worth in the eyes of a soldier like him. He could see exactly why his name among others were on a list to assist her. It wasn't just to literally help her out but in other means as well. Foosha Village was rumored to be relatively small and that created a slew of problems for her in a much larger, what one might call, a city.

Zephyr pinched the bridge of his nose, sucking in air through his nostrils. His thin wire rimmed glasses pushed up onto his fingers as a muffled whimper of frustration escaped him. The older man's eyes were squeezed shut and a flurry of thoughts echoed in his thoughts. At that moment, the officer realized how lucky he was to have boys instead of girls. He could already tell having Katie in Marineford wasn't going to be boring.


	3. A Sleeping Super Babe

**Hello there! Hope everyone is doing well. Well I just wanted to say thank you again for choosing this fanfic to read. Also wanted to add, that the status of humor might change to drama as the story unfolds. I'm still up in the air about how to handle certain parts but we shall see. I hope you all have a fantastic day!**

"Oh! The line... The end has reached the docks", Katie exclaimed as she jolted to her feet. It was now much later in the afternoon and the crowd was thinning out. Even Zephyr could spot his wife at the edge of the platform above the registering station, waving frantically with a wide grin. His youngest standing beside her wearing a marine outfit made for toddlers. Both very excited to see him. Even he couldn't explain the warmth he felt just spotting them like this. His body tingled with joy and the man couldn't stop smiling.

Katie had gingerly beamed herself. Their conversation had come to a close. She could see the vice-admiral become solely focused. He wanted to go home. His eyes couldn't tear away from his family's images. The officer continued to gaze upward at the platform where the residents would greet their loved ones after the initial check.

"You should go...", the young woman spoke as she poked his upper arm. The brunette set down her rather large and stuffed duffel bag once more to wait for the twenty or so people to pass.

"I need to be here", he gruffly responded before rubbing his tired eyes and stretching. The butt of the cigar tossed into the ocean with deadly precision. He reluctantly didn't light up another. His wife didn't care for him smoking and the officer was going to respect that.

Katie blinked at his stubbornness. It was well defined, she thought. Tired, wanting to be with his family, yet was forcing himself to stay. For what? Just to ensure the job was done, the brunette asked herself before shaking her head visibly.

"There are no marines left except those on duty. You have a very capable marine captain and his petty officer to handle things if things get out of hand. You also have the residing marines who left to solve the discrepancies with paperwork. Go... Home... You don't want to keep the most important people in your life, waiting." The female continued to keep her voice light and soft in nature. It was obvious the vice-admiral was exhausted and nearing his peak which meant demands were not going to fly over well. She was being bossy but in a jovial manner. Context was everything at this point.

Zephyr's grey eyes shifted to a captain who had over heard the whole ordeal. Smoker nodded as a way of saying for the higher ranking official to go. To Katie's bewilderment, the white haired man managed to keep two cigars clenched between his own teeth without any troubles. The officer wavered despite his tenacity. The husband chuckled and patted the top of Katie's head before saying good-bye with his own black duffel slung over his left shoulder, allowing his white coat of justice to blow in the breeze.

After moving as fast as as a bullet, Katie saw the father wrap his burly arms around his wife and son before falling backwards taking them with him. His laughter permeated the entire cove. The two in his grip were clung tightly as his son squealed and his wife laid an unbelievable amount of kisses on his cheeks. They were over joyed to see him which could only make the brunette smile even more.

Katie turned to Smoker who was leaning against a lamp post near the white canvas cover containing the registry. The open tent allowed viewers to see Tashigi pace back and forth over seeing the process herself. To the White Hunter, the female bowed at the waist ninety degrees out of respect to him. Her hands folded neatly in front and laid delicately upon the fabric of her green and sunflower patterned dress. His brows furrowed a bit but then realized she only meant it as a thank you. One he didn't need but wasn't going to argue unnecessarily about.

The two seemed to have a brief understanding. He didn't want to speak and possibly get this painful procedure over with quickly while she waited patiently at the back of the line. To his surprise, the young woman wasn't floating on cloud nine or fidgeting like a love sick idiot. Though he couldn't help but take notice that she thumbed the documents in her hands. It was obvious Katie was looking forward to something just not desire.

Twenty minutes later, finally she was at the table at the edge of the covered area but before she could hand her papers off to the dark haired office clerk, Smoker stepped in. He wanted to see for himself what was so odd about this young woman. The sudden disruption caused the brunette a few steps back and her eyes to become dilated.

The marine officer was nearly seven foot tall and practically using his presence to exude authority. His defined body was not lacking in any department to say the least. To her great dismay, the Hunter's jacket was open allow the woman to bare witness to one of the most sculpted chests and fantastic abs in the history of mankind.

Katie's cheeks flared with color as she didn't know what to say or do. Her own mind worked against her as her thoughts grew more and more absurdly embarrassing. Sure he was built like her grandfathers but he was much younger, plus he wasn't even related to her! The female's heart wouldn't be able to take it if this was the common norm for the area.

The young woman's chest became painful as her internal organs began hammering away with intense force. The thick scent of his cigars mixed to well with his soft cologne. Men like him shouldn't exist! At least they didn't on her island! Not to mention, why did he have to stand so close..., Katie dreadfully asked herself as he read up on her history.

Smoker on the other hand wasn't even aware of the bashful woman's reaction. He was focused; trying to find discrepancies and mistakes that would ultimately keep her in a short term custody but to his amazement he couldn't find anything. In fact, it was rather well organized with significant contacts for references. If everyone else had been this serious about their travel documents, the transition would have gone much smoother and he wouldn't have to be there.

"Vice-admiral Garp is your grandfather, huh...? You took a three week journey here, it looks like... Your finances are even registered at the local bank. Your invite, is almost indecipherable but that's not your fault." Smoker could recognize Garp's own handwriting. He had seen it so many times before. It was just short of miraculous that he could read as much as he could.

"Do you know where you're going", he asked turning and grabbing the registry upon a clipboard; swiping a pen while handing off her information to the young seamen clerk who sat behind the table. His gruff voice was low, almost easy to listen too. It surprised Katie to the point where she had to shake her head to clear her thoughts and answer.

"Seven-fifteen, Capital Boulevard. I... uh... well... It's my first time here, I don't know where that is exactly and grandpa was suppose to meet me here but ultimately let me know he had to work", Katie released a tired sigh as she watched the much taller captain write down her information.

Smoker clenched his cigar between his teeth from annoyance once again. Not directed at the female but in general. This whole reassignment came out of the blue and he would rather get back to his station. To add to his anxiety, the young woman was practically dumped off and left to fend for herself. Marineford was no place for a person to be stumbling about. Not all marines were as good as the company she had met so far.

"Wait a while, Tashigi and I will show you where you need to go. I need to finish up here", he reluctantly ordered. A sharp glare quickly followed as soon as Katie began peddling out her words. No one ever wanted to be the receiver of sympathy and though she didn't see it so much so, he wasn't going to let her have her way either. Smoker's expression was enough to get the brunette to become quiet and complacent.

Defeated, Katie found an empty chair that sat next to the wide wall-less cover used to keep the clerks and other soldiers out of the sun. The brunette had realized her eyes felt a bit heavy. Her shoulders slowly began to lean forward but the young woman was determined to not succumb to her physical needs. On a side thought though, the young woman knew Smoker's task wouldn't be over any time soon. "I guess five minutes wouldn't hurt..."

Garp's granddaughter began to nod off as her ocean colored blue hues closed. It had been a long day and no sleep the night prior because she had been so excited. It all had finally caught up as soon as she was basically given her pass to stay. Relief had washed over the petite granddaughter, causing a domino effect of exhaustion.

With her arms crossed and hands tucked under them, her body nodded with every gentle breath. Long bark colored hair slipped over her shoulder as her pony tail had loosened with supple pink lips slightly parted and long dark lashes teasing her silken skin. Her cheeks were a rosy hue from hours in the sun with tiny freckles kissing her ivory flesh. She was the type to never tan but burn. Because of this, Katie was generally careful but she had been so excited and too distracted this time. Further evidence became visible on her arms as subtle pink began to turn red.

If one would could describe the young woman sleeping in the chair, Smoker would call it innocent. She literally was small and nonthreatening. Not quite like that of a child, but her stature was slightly under Tashigi's and her frame as well. Her assets were full, he couldn't miss that portion of her but that's not what caught his attention. The captain had to give it to her, she still carried herself well despite how she probably physically felt. He could spot all the signs of fatigue. Garp's granddaughter was putting up a good fight until she sat down. All too many times had he been in similar situations.

The captain turned to accomplish his duties but found himself glancing over ever so often. Katie had caught his eye once again. Most would say that wasn't the best place to be but his credit to her was the female stood side by side with one of the strongest and noblest men in the marines for a few hours. Both he and Zephyr's loud outbursts didn't even cause her to flinch.

Katie appeared... comfortable. Of course having Garp for a grandfather, one could only imagine what she was used too. This thought oddly brought him to see a lot of parallels with Tashigi's own personality. She'd fit right in with the marines so why wasn't she one? That was the main antagonizing unanswered question. Every time he thought about it, his gaze would return to her. It was almost unsettling.

His thought process was torn away as his eyes were forced to look at a tall figure making his way down the stone stairs rather slowly from the upper levels of the town. A massive hand covered a yawn. Even tears of sleepiness seemed to develop in the corner of his sharp eyes. The familiar officer nonchalantly took long comfortable strides to the temporary station that was now processing all the gathered information of the new arrivals.

"A...Admiral Aokiji", one seaman exclaimed out of both surprise and and respect. The salutes came forth as the man made his way closer and closer, ultimately stopping the work process until Smoker barked for them to go back to work. Papers and people flew as they double timed it.

Tashigi held up a gloved hand to remind Smoker they had a sleeping guest but before she could even utter a single word, the admiral was behind her. Clicking her heels, she saluted before chasing after the panicked seamen and clerks. Her actions earning an uneven smirk from Kuzan.

"Oh my", the man uttered out of surprise. "A super babe sleeping here", he continued which began an array of worry from the other marines considering they knew who her grandfather was. The admiral crouched, lowering himself easily. He still lorded over the sleeping woman. This was not his intention, though. He just wanted a slightly closer look. She wasn't exotic or outlandish but still quite the beauty. Kuzan felt a shiver go down his spine. The delicate brunette had to be something to be asleep, unaware of her surroundings in a military post and appearing so carefree.

Without hesitating, the admiral swiftly discarded his white officer's coat and placed it like a blanket over her smaller form. Gingerly the female accepted by burying her nose in the collar and muttering the word, "warm", ever so softly. She was still asleep only to stir by curling her toes and legs further under the white material. The admiral heard her sandals hit the solid wood beneath and he was quick to smile. He had an excuse to take another nap.

"Guys just pack everything when you're done...", Aokiji ordered as he stretched out on the dark wooden planks just in front of Katie. The tall admiral then proceeded to pull down his green sleep mask over his eyes and fold his arms behind his head in his trademark fashion.

Smoker didn't care for the antics but his commanding officer was right. They needed to hurry up and finish. The day was coming to a close. He switched gears and began berating anyone who didn't pull enough weight to complete their task at hand. The man didn't see the harm in leaving the duo to catch up on their rest.


	4. Got Her Name!

**Hello! Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. If you notice I have been updating daily. That trend is coming close to ending. I am trying to stay ahead of the game and give you, the readers and fans, something juicy on a daily basis. Unfortunately It might dwindle down to every two days until I can get more chapters saved up in the New Document Folder. I'll keep you posted and let you know when things have to slow down.**

Almost a half hour passed when Katie stirred once more. Tashigi listened as she stayed relatively close. "Grandpa...", a whisper came to life. "I told you not to use your jacket as a blanket...", she half scolded in her sleepy state. The chief petty officer turned her head and stifled the bubbling chuckles that had threatened to break free.

"Wait", Katie spoke a little louder after actively taking in deep breaths through the fabric; enjoying the warm aroma of the new scent. "This isn't his...", she continued with heavy blue hues slowly opening. "He doesn't wear this cologne and it doesn't smell like okaki", the young woman added before fully sitting up. Her body leaned forward a bit as she tried desperately to take in the who, what, where, and whys.

To the brunette's surprise there was a man... A-very-large-man sleeping at her feet. He had placed himself on his back and appeared unmoved. Gentle breaths raised and lowered his chest in a rhythmic fashion. His tanned skin and curly black hair did wonders for his peaceful features. The officer in white clad with a blue button up, didn't even stir as she slipped to her bare feet. When Tashigi started to say something, Katie revealed a tender smile with a delicate finger over her lips. She indicated for the marine to remain quiet as she silently stepped over the high ranking official who had loaned her his coat to stay warm.

The petty officer watched in awe as Katie acted with the grace of a cat. The brunette fanned out fabric to only let it settle like a floating feather and cover him before reaching for her shoes. The unaware Kuzan, slept. Her subtle perfume wafted from the collar that had slipped over his upper chest. It had soothed the already relaxed admiral. Deepening the unconscious state he was left in.

Like a swift mouse, the young woman gathered her belongings without a sound. She even went as far as opening her over stuffed duffel bag and retrieved a green box of tea bags. Quietly she asked for a pen and Tashigi obliged quickly with a caring smile. Noiseless, Katie wrote on the front of the box before setting it down next to Kuzan.

Before the petty officer could stop her, Katie waved good bye just as she was taking off with lightening speed that rivaled Zephyr prior. This left a distraught female marine who was by herself. Smoker had plans of helping the brunette for the same reason she, herself, had but after seeing a display of physical prowess the glasses wearing subordinate was confused.

"Tashigi", Smoker barked. The female whipped around to see the man lighting up his cigars as he slowly made strides towards her. "Don't worry about it", the man stated. "She'll be fine."

The officer pushed her glasses up on her nose and threw a curious gaze in his direction. The shirtless official had clearly observed something she didn't and wanted to know what that was.

"Garp taught her well... Almost too well, I'd admit. I'm just not sure why she's not in the navy. The marines could use someone like her", he continued with a half snarl. It annoyed him to see so much potential wasted. Tashigi was about to continue the conversation but a groan and the sound of Aokiji sitting up caught her attention. The anxious woman stepped away to let Smoker and he have their conversation.

Kuzan pulled up his mask off his eyes and blinked. Now sitting cross legged, he was taken back to see his coat had returned to him. "Oh my... Seems I missed her", he shrugged it off before spotting the tea box. It was small in size, made of thin card board and in a plain soft green hue. The same color as his mask, actually. It didn't take any effort to pick the item up and read her note on the top of it.

 _Thanks for loaning me your warm jacket. I know a lot of pride goes into it so it's a huge honor. As a thank you, have some of my finest tea. It's served best in a coffee cup with a teaspoon of honey and a side of okaki._

 _Katie_

"Well, well, well... I got her name atleast", Kuzan spoke in a jovial tone. It was as if he didn't expect anything and yet succeeded in getting something desirable. An odd fact about admirals. They are the second highest in rank in the navy, third if one considers commander-in-chief, and yet for men to be so strong that they could turn the world on it's ear, women simply weren't flocking to them like one might expect. In fact they weren't approached much at all and found no time to mingle. It was like leaving their personal lives to a game of chance. A price to pay for power, he guessed.

"She just left", Smoker interjected while crossing his arms over his bared chest and ripping Aokiji from his thoughts. "She's definitely Garp's grand kid. Even spotted Tashigi's rank as petty officer without proper introduction. Her skills are even on par with that of a captain", the man continued as he lifted a finger to point to the first platform of the stairway. A collapsed footprint where Katie had launched herself upward, was seen like a black dot on a white piece of paper. Truly hard to miss.

"Now that makes things more interesting", the admiral admitted as he came to his feet with a slight grunt and a scratch to his scalp. Before he moved, the admiral draped his long jacket over his forearm before tucking his hands in his pockets. The officer's eyes slowly pursuing the direction the young woman went. From the tracks she left, it wasn't hard to follow.

Smoker didn't say a word but scoffed at the situation. Katie was an enigma. Such raw ability mixed with her observation skill, to top things off organized and level headed. She was perfect but for Garp, _of all people_ , to not push the idea of marines... That was almost unheard of. There was a missing piece to the puzzle. He wasn't about to let this go since he could smell the trouble just brewing on the sidelines.


	5. Bastille To The Rescue!

**A little side note, sorry this update came a little earlier than normal. My desk top had finally seen its last days. The start up in windows had become corrupted so I can't even turn on my computer. Do not fret though! I have a solution and will be up and running normal updates tomorrow. I apologize if this had become an inconvenience to you.**

 **Another thing I'd like to touch on, thanks for the support! We have 7 followers now! I couldn't be happier! It really is heart warming. Also thank you so much for the wonderful comments! Feel free to leave your thoughts in the review section.**

Katie hopped to the tallest place she could find which was a church steeple. The building, like many others were white with blue trim. Some had reddish tinted roof tiles while other were darker and dingy in color from age giving a brownish appearance. Various sized structures made up most of the lower parts of the massive island turned fortress.

Only two words could only describe the view, breath taking. The sun was settling over the horizon as streaks of gold and red began to permeate the sky. The air was turning quite cooler at this point and Katie might have to dig through her duffel to grab her jacket. Being from Foosha Island didn't prepare her for the size nor the feel of the buzzing city. The weather wasn't something she was used to either as the young woman shivered from the air brushing across her burned skin. It was almost over whelming.

"Great... Where am I supposed to go now", the brunette asked herself out loud as to not lose herself to her new surroundings. She knew she could easily get distracted and was desperately fighting the curiosity bug which started to stir inside her very soul. Like a carefree child, the young woman wanted to see all the bakeries, the fruit stands, the ice-cream stores, candy shops, and delis. Katie was almost in tears since there had been so much to see! It was nearly maddening!

Slightly frustrated with herself, due to lack of knowledge as to where her journey's end was, her swift flowing movements across each roof garnered some attention from local marines patrolling the area. Many were on duty recruits earning their wages while others simply wanted an excuse to throw their weight around.

After being waved down, Garp's granddaughter reluctantly made her way to the four that had come to investigate the FLYING WOMAN. To their pleasant surprise, it was a tiny female with an oversized green duffel. To Katie this wasn't something she needed nor wanted. Depending on how things could go, it could reflect poorly on her grandpa Sengoku. The young woman began to feel the stress just building on her shoulders.

Setting down her belongings, the petite framed brunette took a few strides forward but was told to halt; which she did. An exasperated sigh escaped her lungs while dark blue hues took in the appearances of all four marines. Two were tall, thin, wearing their uniforms in a unique fashion but carrying rifles slung over their shoulders. Their hats turned backwards and the short-sleeved part of their uniform ripped completely off. The other two shorter males wore the typical uniform minus the hat with rifles slung across the back. It reminded her of some of the local bandits from her home. Two tall body guards for a master mind but this person seemed to have an extra. Like a second in command of sorts. This was _**not**_ the normal for marines.

Katie's eyes soaked in every detail as well as her strong sense of smell. She was nearly sickened by the scent. These men didn't don the warm cologne she had come to expect. Even Captain Smoker had put something on that was at least pleasant to counter the aroma of burned cigars. Though, oddly she would have to admit they had a pleasant smell too but these four made no effort! Instead a two week old trash bin in the sun would have been more pleasant.

The young woman shivered and her stare went blank but merely for a moment until the one who was in charge stepped forward. The aroma grew so strong, forcing Katie to cup her hand over her nose and mouth. Her eyes stung and began to water. She at least knew this _**wasn't**_ the norm either.

"Hello, my name is Lieutenant Peach and this is my squad. We're here to investigate a woman causing a scene, possible property damage, and disturbing the peace by scaring those around her while she's _**flying**_ through the air", a thick greasy sound rolled off his lips.

Katie wished she didn't have the gift of smell. She could see the man coming closer had short brown hair, a large bulbous nose, a cleft chin, and large round eyes. He was slightly muscular but in the way of anything special, the marine was lacking. Even his height was average.

"What's your name, _sweetheart_ ", Peach asked with an unsettling chuckle afterward.

The brunette tried to answer to the best of her ability while ignoring the pet name but the sour body aroma was keeping her from even trying to breath. It was too much! If anyone or anything out there that could save her, she wished it would happed already. This wasn't what she had in mind upon her first arrival to Marineford. The worst part was, if her grandfather got word that she embarrassed him by being careless... She wouldn't know what to do.

"What's wrong...? Going to be sick? Does the thought of justice raining down on you make you regret your actions", a toying laugh followed. She didn't see the grin the marine had bore. Seemingly proud to taunt the woman who had fallen back on her rump and now at his feet.

Katie wanted to say so much! She knew this wasn't how marines acted... or smelled. They were a dignified group with a lot of pride on the line. This was just disgusting in her eyes and _**nose**_. It was like they didn't even know what a shower was, she thought. Just him being so close made the young woman feel dirty.

"Oye-dara", a deep baritone rang out. It echoed across the cobblestone street that Katie was nearly lying face down in with only one, very shaky, arm under her to keep her from hitting the ground under her. The three marine lackeys jumped as the voice had originated from behind them. To their discovery, the massive shadow that had over casted them belonged to no other than Shark-Cutter Bastille. The vice-admiral twice the size of a normal man.

The officer's imposing mask and weapon, was enough to cause the three of them to run. They had abandoned their **_leader_** to his own fate. Peach had frozen in place with his hand slightly extended. He had planned on grabbing her upper arm to pull her to her feet but stopped in mid action.

The fact the other three fled led the vice-admiral to think they were up to no good. There had been rumored that women were being harassed by some meat heads who would cook up some false accusations just to corner them. Though a captain would normally investigate, he happened to be in the vicinity when he overheard the conversation between lieutenants. As prideful as the man he was, he wasn't going to let it slide and decided to take a stroll.

Katie's luck had struck again as the officer imposed and directly narrowed his eyes on Peach who shivered and began to sweat profusely. He may have not seen the near giant of a man's eyes but he could feel the warning gaze.

" _What's going on-dara_?" The vice-admiral articulated in a deep tone. He genuinely felt concerned for the poor woman on the ground. Her face was very pale with a blue hue over her eyes. She appeared so sick.

"N...No...Nothing sir", Peach exclaimed while saluting. His jittery nature was not over looked forcing Bastille to give an unbelieving grunt in response.

"I thought I was disturbing the peace or something", Katie coughed and sputtered before covering her mouth and nose again. The brunette regretted ever trying to speak. The sweating of the lieutenant was making matters worse. She just wanted it all to end and _**not**_ throw up in the process.

"Shut up, woman", the lower ranking officer turned his head and snapped before letting out a girlish scream. Bastille had planted his oversized zanbato between the two. Not only did the cobble stone crack and break, the sheer speed was devastating. The rush of air helped clear Katie's senses and she was ever so thankful. Taking in large gulps of air, the vice-admiral watched as color returned to her cheeks. He let out a sigh of relief.

The officer wasn't good dealing with the opposite sex. He had to admit that the idea of a damsel in distress sounded great in theory but to get as strong as he was, it took years of training with zero distractions. Now that he could think about it, no one was good with dealing with damsels in distress. The commissioned officers were all pretty eccentric and furthermore simply too dedicated.

The higher ranking official grunted again. " _What's your name and rank-dara_?" His voice commanding, his sheer size frightening, and yet even his shoulders gave a visible jolt. His nose was affronted and completely understood why the brunette female was so ill the very moment he got close. Bastille was appreciative of his mask for hiding most of his disgusted expression. His senses were being attacked! His sympathy reached out to the poor woman.

"Lieutenant Peach...", was all the average sized marine could utter. It was almost softer than a whisper.

"I suggest you take your leave. Go take a shower, you're _disgusting-dara_...", the vice-admiral added with his voice full of reprimand. It took everything he could do NOT to rush his words. Peach obliged by running away at full tilt.

Behind the mask, Bastille watched as Katie stood to her feet. For a short bit, she held her head. Everything had happened much to quickly for the young woman to completely wrap her head around. For now, she was just thankful the stinky man was gone and the air was now filling with the scent of an expensive masculine cologne. Which was no surprise, since she was little both grandfathers explained about how marines took pride in their appearance.

"Are you alright-dara", the masked man asked with concern losing his frightening overtone. She waved a hand and offered up a lopsided smile. "Mind telling me about this disturbing the peace business-dara", the oversized man warily asked.

"I'm new here so I was using the roof tops to gain my bearings. Apparently, I had scared a few people and the men before you had come to investigate. At least that's what I gathered despite their rather displeasing disposition."

The near giant of a marine nodded. "Where are you trying to go-dara", he asked curiously before sitting on a stone fence as if it were merely a stool.

"Seven-fifteen Capital Boulevard", she answered quickly. Large blue eyes watched the man stand up and grip his weapon. With little effort, he managed to pluck it from the stone that had encased part of it. The young woman trembled once she saw the medium sized crater the zanbato had forged. It was obvious he didn't know how to hold back or if he did, not enough. She was used to seeing these kinds of things from her grandpas but from others was almost surreal.

Katie did however, manage to remember her manners. She bowed ninety degrees at the waist. "Thank you", the brunette quickly added out of respect to the man who had just intervened. Warmth touched Bastille's cheeks but couldn't be seen behind the mask. The only evidence that he was partially flustered was his fingers began fidgeting and he straightened his tie with his free hand.

"I'll tell you what... If you can point me in the right direction, I'll make you a cup of coffee the next time I see you", Katie offered with a beaming smile. The man in the black suit wasn't used to such pleasantries but he didn't turn into a bubbling idiot like many of his lower ranking colleagues would have.

"That's fine... I'll just show you instead-dara", Bastille chuckled.

"Are you sure?! I don't want to bother you! Smoker and Tashigi offered to show me around but they were **_really busy_** so instead of waiting, I took off. I thought it would be like my village but was...well... I wasn't expecting everything to be so much!"

The way the young woman waved her hands in an animated fashion made the bigger man burst into laughter. In his thoughts, she seemed to be surprised and fascinated by every detail. She continued to talk about the various buildings and structures. Apparently, the brunette loved to speak what was on her mind; the smaller female started in about the large fountain one had to pass to get up to this level. She even boiled down how breath taking the view was of the horizon from their position. If she was this excited, he couldn't wait to see her response once she saw the view from her address.

Something did spark his curiosity. This woman was very comfortable speaking to a man his rank. He concluded she must not have recognized his uniform or maybe she was just too distracted. Either way, it was pleasant. Kind of made him wish more women were like her. Maybe he and his comrades wouldn't be so serious most of the time.


	6. A Tiger Who Changed His Stripes

**Welcome and thank you once again. This is a simple notice, I get my new computer tomorrow (hopefully). I will continue to work on the story using my laptop but since I have been busy I have not been able to do more than one chapter a day. So finally I'm caught up. This means posts will happen to be roughly every 2 days until I can get some chapters saved up. Once that happens, we can resume posting every day then. Hope you all have a great day and please feel free to leave any comments in the review section!**

Katie was, to say the least, astounded by every big and little detail. The cobble stone streets were so lively with people and the marines often hanging around corners to both assist and rest up from their duties. It was serene. She wished Luffy and Ace were around to share the moment but alas, the female knew deep down how much they had their hearts set on becoming pirates. If she remembered correctly, Ace was going to set sail in a year.

The slow calm walk, allowed her to reminisce. Ace _**and**_ Luffy were both taller than she. Katie only reached the youngest brother's shoulder, much to the teen's delight. Ace, on the other hand, was much taller. Placing her just at his chest level. Often teased as her boyfriend by the bandits at his house whenever she would stop by and visit. It had been four weeks ago and she could still remember the warm aromas of the jungle wafting off his skin once she informed them she was leaving. Causing her to chuckle. They really did spend to much time in the jungle together...

Once she told Ace, he practically threw a fit saying they weren't going to be able to be friends if she was going to live on Marineford. He demanded she be his cook in his new pirate crew so they could stay together as a family. Now that she thought about it, he was a bit childish but Ace was who Ace was and there was no changing it. Even grandpa couldn't beat him enough to change his mind.

A heart felt smile touched her lips. In the end, after a long-heated verbal battle, some silence, and four dozen cookies..., the two reconciled before she boarded the ferry to the passenger ship. Which just happened to arrive a week after her initial announcement. Ace, reluctantly, finally gave her his blessing. Despite her being older, he sort of treated her like the younger sister. She could still feel his arms around her and his breath on her cheek as he held her tightly. He proceeded to rub the top of her head as he made her promise if anyone ever treated her wrong, she'd tell him first.

Luffy rushed in shortly after; coiling his arms and legs around her and Ace in his own fashion of a hug. He then knocked the two over in a short tussle. The three of them rolled around on the ground to the amusement of the village.

Luffy promised he'd be pirate king and understood she had her own dream. He surprisingly supported her but now that she thought about it, it was probably because all the left-over muffins, cookies, and pastries he and Ace got to eat during her time training with Makino at Partys Bar.

The two then vowed that if push came to shove, she'd have a home among their nakama. They were aware of her secret and never shunned her for it. Not once did they mock her for it either. Not even Dadan and her own family. To deepen the bond, the old woman had become like a second mother to her. Her own had been seriously ill and Makino had taken up the mantle in helping with her care but when the brunette started training with the boys, Garp introduced her to the large bandit and her crew.

The recollection of Luffy and Ace escaping grandpa while barking at Dadan to have raised them better, surfaced. Katie couldn't hold it in and began laughing almost hysterically as she could recall grandpa and the two bounding through the house at full speed. Her beaming smile was heartwarming. Everyone in the street paused to look at her which caused a slap of reality, bringing the bubbly female back to where she was.

"You alright-dara", Bastille asked in a jovial tone. He was rather happy to see a young woman holding her own ribs while trying to contain herself. The comical sight brought him a little joy.

Katie had to set down her green duffel bag and take a moment to breathe. Delicate fingers wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. A heavy sigh quickly followed as the granddaughter stretched. "This is such a wonderful and peaceful city... Brings back some very good memories from my own village. I was just feeling a little homesick... that's all", she answered waving off any concern he may have had.

The vice-admiral let out a deep echoing laughter himself. "How long has it been for you-dara?" His question came forth once he quieted down some and the two began their stroll towards the upper tiers of the island once more.

"I'm a little embarrassed to say but only three weeks. It had been four weeks since I announced to everyone I was going to stay in Marineford to help support grandpa." She paused to sigh. "I asked the both of them if it would be ok if I stayed here to pursue my dreams and oddly they jumped at the sheer thought. So, six weeks ago I started my paperwork and three weeks ago finally gathered everything I needed. Grandpa oversaw the process so I didn't miss anything and before I knew it, I saw this place come into view today."

"Don't be embarrassed-dara. Just means you realized how much you were loved back home. I get home sick after only a week of being away though I don't let it interfere with my duties", he added. "Where are you from-dara?"

Before Katie could answer, a familiar thunderous voice echoed from above. She was merely on the second tier while the resonating declaration forced her to gaze upward. "Foosha Village", the strong dignified tone answered. Oceanic blue hues widened once she saw her grandfather standing in his majestic gold and white uniform with a breast full of decorated medals. Tall and commanding, Sengoku stood above them on the flatter part of the steps. Just at the joint where the two levels met forming a platform for the entry to the next tier.

His eyes narrowed on her tiny frame which was now almost in tears. He was doing his best not to crack a smile and leap for joy. Seeing her before him after being away for so long, made his heart swell painfully. Then he noticed Katie's cheeks puff as she turned bright red. The young woman was swaying back and forth as if she was so frustrated that she could barely contain herself while holding her breath.

"Ehhh! What's wrong?!" That was the straw that broke his back. The stoic man was ready to leap to her and swoop her up. The fleet-admiral wanted nothing more than to comfort his one and only granddaughter. He was almost about to when she blurted out what had been bothering her.

"Grandpa…", Katie whined while out stretching her arm and pointing at him. "You're in your uniform and under rule eighty-two, on page forty-three in the handbook _**you sent**_ … Says I can't hug you!" Her hands and arms flailed as if she were drowning in water. "A marine mustn't display public affection while in uniform for it reflects his/her authority and undermining codes of conduct will not be tolerated."

The brunette's distraught appearance and quote caused the fleet-admiral to whip his head back and laugh uncontrollably. He was so amused by her liveliness, the man nearly forgot he was amongst his peers. "Katie dear… It's ok", his voice softened. Sengoku knew she was simply trying to save face but the rule wasn't enforced entirely. Just when it was appropriate too. Moving faster than the vice-admiral had ever seen, the female had launched herself up the stairs and buried herself under white fabric. She was then securely engulfed in strong arms.

Sengoku spun a few quick turns with her nestled close. She was short and light just like she was when she was a child. A proud man with a beaming smile was all her grandfather's colleagues could see. It had been a while since one of the most powerful men had ever appeared so carefree and happy.

Bastille on the other hand, could not remain calm. In disbelief, his gaze continually switched between Katie and Sengoku in shock. He could only bear witness to the bizarre event that had unfolded before him. To the near giant, it was clear who her grandpa was but the famous Buddha wasn't from nor had family in East Blue. Maybe by extension but wondered if the man had kids at all. The high-ranking officer reckoned if he were to think too hard on it, it would ultimately come out complicated.

Sengoku and Katie hugged their hellos but she hadn't forgotten her guest. To Bastille's surprise the young woman turned towards his direction and made another polite bow to show her thanks. Once she was done she stood straight and bowed once more. "First I want to say thank you but most of all I want to apologize. I never caught your name", the brunette reluctantly admitted with her head remaining lowered.

"Hai! I'm guilty as well-dara", he too bowed. The fleet-admiral beamed. His granddaughter was showing respect and receiving it without much of an effort. At her side the higher ranking official also lowered his head as a thank you. His action nearly caused the officer to jump out of his skin.

"Thank you for bringing my Katie home", Sengoku's character had become gentle and devoted in the short time the young woman had appeared. Nothing Bastille was used too while his time in the marines. It was purely terrifying. The tenor in his voice revealed how much the most powerful man in the marines, loved his grandchild. If anyone had any sense, they'd realize the gravity of that thought. Even an admiral wouldn't dare cross those lines. A cold shiver ran down the vice-admiral's spine. He could feel the chill reach deep into his bones and it caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up.

It was time for the commissioned officer to take his leave. The vice-admiral clicked his heels and saluted. "It was my duty-dara", Bastille stated with confidence before turning and leaving with a quickened gate in his step. Katie tried to stop him briefly to get his name but Sengoku grabbed her shoulder before tugging her along.

"But grandpa… I was rude and didn't introduce myself! This could reflect on you", she uttered in defiance but it only earned a hearty laugh.

"You'll see him around", Sengoku promised before tucking her under his arm and grabbing her duffel after she had retrieved it. "I have something to show you", he spoke in a jovial yet proud tone. At his words, Katie followed without hesitation or protest while leaning into the much larger figure. She was simply thrilled to be with her grandpa.

Further down the steps was another issue. Bastille was physically shivering until he found a large bench to sit on. In and out, he regulated his breathing and calmed his rattled nerves. The giant of a man leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Yo", he heard a familiar voice. Bastille gazed upward slightly. He saw admiral Aokiji standing before him in a relaxed manner. His coat slung over his forearm but remained in his normal blue and white attire with his hands in his pockets.

"A…admiral", the vice-admiral stuttered in disbelief. Once he realized who he was speaking to, the man tried to stand on shaky legs but soon regretted it. They had failed him, bringing him to a knee instead.

"Oh my, are you alright", Kuzan asked in concern without moving a muscle. His expression of surprise spoke in larger volume. The tanned officer was genuinely worried about the masked man's wellbeing.

"I…I'm fine-dara", he assured raising a massive hand. "Just a little rattled. That's all-dara."

Kuzan's copper tinted orbs watched the masked marine sit back in his bench. He had never seen Bastille in such a shaken manner. In his mind, something must have happened to agitate the man to this point.

"I'm a little embarrassed-dara. I didn't know I was escorting a tiger's cub. As soon as I realized the implications of my actions, I watched the tiger change its stripes before my very eyes. Its cub completely unaware like all things young and naïve-dara."

The admiral cocked his head to the side. His brows furrowed. "You're going to have to be frank. I don't think I'm catching on", he admitted. Though he had a strong suspicion this had something to do with the sleeping hottie.

"Our fleet-admiral has a granddaughter named Katie…-dara. I think that's what her name was. It was only mentioned once and at the time I was taken back by our commander lowering his own head to thank me for bringing her home. I watched that man become so calm, like the ocean before a devastating tsunami-dara."

"Oh my", Aokiji muttered. "I thought Garp was her grandfather", the man spoke more to himself than to Bastille but the vice-admiral corrected him.

"She did say she had two-dara. She said both were excited to have her here and if that's the case than it would make sense. Especially since she's from Garp's village-dara. The enormous man stood, rubbing the back of his neck but at least found his footing. "Again, I didn't know that she would be such an important person. She seemed pleasant, down to earth even-dara."

The admiral rubbed the back of his head. Unsure if he wanted to pursue this woman. He initially was going to return the tea since he was a coffee type of guy but just getting close to her seemed almost too much trouble. Aokiji released a heavy, exasperated sigh. His shoulders slumped forward causing a slightly hunched appearance.

Kuzan seemed more convinced than ever to not get involved, turned on his heels and continued in the direction he was going. "Thanks", he waved goodbye with his back turned. It wasn't until he reached one of the lower platforms that the smell of coffee filled his nostrils. The warm aroma forced his curiosity into overdrive. It was… alluring… The man had walked this path several times and couldn't remember this a scent so close to headquarters. Everything was on the lower tiers where most resided. This _**had**_ to be a fluke but his gut feeling had him wondering if this all had to do with the new resident, Katie.


	7. Join Us

**Hello, me again. Sorry I am posting late! I mean I did say every two days but I felt so bad not getting you guys a chapter... It hurt my widdle heart. Seriously. Today did not feel complete without getting a chapter out.**

 **As I digress I wanted to touch on something. I imagine Aokiji had done more things than just Ohara. He is an admiral after all. I'm sure the things in his past are not as bad but he does have a ruthless side to him. They all do. That's where I'm coming from in this chapter plus he has a history of being self conflicting. That plays a part as well. Anyways, hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think in the comments.**

After a very short distance up the white stair way onto the next cobble stone platform, Kuzan's copper orbs saw one fleet-admiral sitting in front of an old rundown structure. If his memory served correctly, it used to be a large boutique and hat shop. The two-story, grey building next to the platform had wide access surrounding it with an alley on the opposite side to where he stood. Across from it was a dying green painted flower shop that hardly made building code but from what he could see, was still scarcely in business.

He and the other officers dubbed this street the dead-end district. It was only a small walk up the stairway to the entrance of the headquarters but no longer needed as everything the enlisted and officers required, were down by the bay where most lived. No one wanted to be near the main building for several good reasons. The main purpose was the recruits were trained on the east side. During the day and sometimes the weekends, it was loud; bustling with energy. Not a single person wanted to hear the cadence or shouts during their off time. Not even the more respected vice-admirals like Zephyr.

But what oddly caught Aokiji's attention wasn't the fact that the most powerful man in the marines was sitting on the ground, having a cup of coffee. It was the little woman next to him. As her grandfather sat cross legged with a grin touching each ear, she was nestled comfortably on her knees beside him. His dark orbs caught the sight of a portable burner between the two and a percolating pot on top. It had been the source of the aroma that led the tall, tanned skinned officer there.

The admiral could see she had the same wide grin as Sengoku with sparkling stars in her large blue eyes. The brunette was enamored by the large structure in front of her. He couldn't hear what they were saying but the expression of pure joy was enough for force his foot to move forward. Kuzan stopped and cleared his throat. He remained quiet with his back painfully flexing to keep him unmoved. The curly haired officer didn't want to disrupt the scene unfolding before him. He had no desire to rip that away from one of the men he mostly respected but Aokiji couldn't tear his eyes away either.

The sight of the young woman so happy was something his years in the military had robbed him of. He just didn't realize it until now. The tall man uncomfortably found himself longing to smile like that again. There was a time, before he became an officer but those times were rare and stopped shortly after his promotion to captain. After that it was a landslide of duty. One event after another. Going as far as to watch disturbing things he didn't have the power to stop. Guilt had begun to prick its way through his chest as reminder of his sins. Memories started to escalate in the back of his mind. He couldn't stay any longer. He wanted to take another nap and forget.

As the commanding officer turned with his grip tightening around the box in his pocket, Katie's voice rang out and shattered those dark feelings almost instantly. Aokiji found himself gulping in a breath of fresh air but his heart nearly stopped. It was a shock to his system and the admiral was dumbstruck. Standing and blinking, he didn't even see her appear before his eyes. Like magic, there she was. It was as if he were having a dream but it was all too real.

"Hey! Grandpa said your name was Kuzan-sensei! Come join us for a cup of coffee. It's not much but it's what I can do right now. Plus, I'm glad to have more company since he's leaving soon." Katie extended a hand with the palm open and facing upward. The young woman's expression was warm and welcoming. The brunette didn't really know anyone; making friends was her only option.

Aokiji gazed down at her offered hand. It appeared to be soft but he could see a few rough spots from calluses. Proof of what Smoker had said prior. What really intrigued the raven-haired man was how small she was. For a woman, she was slightly below average in height but her top assets made up for it. Brilliant blue eyes were bright and open, gazing directly into his before her contagious smile closed them. The woman's welcoming sight had him shiver. He could see she was definitely the trusting and honest type but the man could bet she was pretty inexperienced.

"My, oh, my…", he spoke as he bent over to put her nose to nose. The woman turned bashful briefly causing the admiral to do everything he could to keep from smiling. It put his discipline into practice while he kept a straight face.

To make the situation more awkward, beside her freckled cheeks turning a few darker hues of red, Aokiji found the young woman's scent alluring. It became painfully difficult to not reveal his approval. A strong, quiet inhale of her indulgent perfume brought his thoughts to roses and lavender. Thick fingers tightened in his pockets to keep from reaching out and touching the silken strands of her bark colored hair. Katie's appearance as a whole, just taunted the man. He had to get a little satisfaction since it felt like he was challenged.

"You know… walking up to a marine and asking him to join you like that, might give him the wrong impression", Aokiji stated with as serious of a tone as he could muster. He wanted to see her reaction. To his slight disappointment, she didn't react the way he was expecting. Instead, a smirk crossed her lips and the young woman waved off his words robbing him of what he desired.

"Don't tease me. I might take what you say literally and then what are you going to do?" The touché remark made his own expression go blank. He could have sworn she had an air of innocence around her but that comment was much too quick witted. His eyes shot over to Sengoku who was enjoying a cookie with his coffee. Giving a thumb's up before reaching down beside himself again and grabbing another from a plate or container that had been placed out of the admiral's view.

Before another word could be spoken, Katie grabbed Kuzan's hand. With a light tug, the admiral found himself following. He could feel the warmth in her fingers traveling through his thicker digits. She was small but that didn't stop her, apparently. The commissioned officer had to give her praise. Like his colleagues, he was unapproachable most of the time. Many went out of their way to avoid them and with good reason, too. Yet this woman didn't see those boundaries. He doubted she ever would considering who her grandfather was and possibly how she was raised.

Once they reached Sengoku, his superior, she opened up her duffel after letting go. Aokiji could still feel the soft texture of her skin in his palm. The sensation brought his own to rub it away. To the admiral's dismay the bag was taller than the young woman, making it quite the site for the marine officer to see her practically dive into it. Katie's toes no longer reached the ground and the young lady in the green sunflower dress began kicking and squirming. It was like the bag was eating her alive.

Kuzan flinched as he caught himself having moment of embarrassment; he discovered himself staring at a heart shaped rump wiggling and inciting his self-control. To make the situation worse, the green fabric threatened to climb up her velvety thighs and give him more of a show than intended. Luckily for the admiral, her grandfather didn't see it that way. Instead Sengoku laughed while Aokiji snapped his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. Anything to distract him from the view.

Suddenly it hit the curly haired man. She really lacked self-awareness. The young woman had done this in front of a grown man without hesitation or giving it a second thought. It was painfully clear, Katie wasn't used to being around people like him or his height for that matter. It gave him a tremendous advantage. If Kuzan wanted to cease the opportunity, he could have and easily gone down the perverted road. Luckily for the brunette, the officer wasn't a lesser man. "She's too much trouble", Aokiji muttered to himself.

"Katie… What are you looking for", the fleet-admiral asked while looking over his shoulder. The seagull on top of his head squawked some wanting to be fed which the man did without thinking. He shared part of his cookie before stuffing more into his mouth.

"I'm digging up some biscotti I made and one of the mugs I got for you and grandpa Garp", she grunted while heading further into the bag. A triumphant "got it" followed but then the young woman realized she was stuck. "Uh… Well… This… Um…", Katie flailed her legs. "Grandpa", the brunette whined.

Sengoku sipped his coffee slowly. The taste was heavenly. Without skipping a beat or losing a drop, the man reached over slightly behind him and pulled the duffel to lean towards the side she dangled from. As soon as Katie got her bare feet flat on the ground, she plucked herself out. "Thank you", a squeal came with a beaming grin. A contented grunt followed by a nod was all he did in response.

The air surrounding the two was that of a grandfather and a granddaughter. Bastille was right, this man had a way of turning from the most respected man in the marines into a common family man. The thought was disconcerting. Why, Kuzan asked himself. Because he'd personally watched men who were fathers, in the heat of battle. They could manage what no other trained officer could. It was finding something monstrous deep inside their soul and plucking it out. They'd almost always come out on top when all odds were stacked against them. Whether they survived was another thing entirely but apply that single ability to a man who was already a colossal threat. He'd become an unstoppable force and then aim it at the poor soul that wronged his family. _**Terrifying**_ wouldn't even be a word to cover the outcome and to make matters worse, Katie had two men of near equal strength to go to such lengths for her.

"I wanted one of your mugs because they're bigger. Kuzan-sensei isn't exactly the definition of small. So, it's probably easier for him to have a better grip", the brunette pointed out as she poured coffee into the plain black porcelain mug. It took both of her hands to hand it off to the admiral who was snapped back from his thoughts.

Aokiji took a seat on the ground in front of the other two after taking the offered cup. His jacket was about to be set down until small fingers snapped open and closed repeatedly. The young woman had indicating for the man to hand the article of clothing to her. For some reason, he hadn't noticed that she had yet taken her seat and was standing beside him. He didn't like having his head in the fog and that seemed to be where his attention was as of late. Especially around her, at the moment.

On the contrary to his thoughts, his actions were different. The raven-haired male nodded and handed it over without delay. He found it so strange, the tiny woman would go to such lengths as to even hang his coat up. His eyes watched her place it on a long-hooked nail that peered out from one of the front supports that had been connected to the decaying building. Of course with a little help of a wooden step.

The admiral let go of the honorifics for now and simply decided to try the delightful aromatic brew in his hand. He preferred his coffee a bit strong despite the fact he constantly took naps. Once the liquid touched the man's taste buds, the dark bite of the bitter substance and hazel nut had taken Kuzan by surprise. He had to take another sip and then another. To say the least, the officer was left dumbfounded.

"Is it good", she asked with wide eyes. Katie wondered what he had thought since after his second and third sip, he had paused. The smaller female gracefully smoothed out the skirt of her dress before tucking it under her rear. The young woman lowered herself to her knees beside her grandpa.

"I've never tasted coffee like this", Aokiji admitted. Not only was he astonished by the mixing flavors but by the fact that it was from a pot campers used! "You used _**that**_ to make _**this**_ ", he asked apprehensively. Kuzan didn't mean to come off in disbelief but it wasn't normal. The coffee was supposed to taste bad with the consistency of mud. Not something he would order out of a high-end restaurant!

"Good isn't it", Sengoku exclaimed bursting with pride. He couldn't stop laughing and patting the top of his granddaughter's head.

Katie rolled her eyes while her cheeks flared a brighter red than they already were. "Grandpa…", the long-haired brunette moaned with a wrinkled nose. She had become too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye. "Oh!" The startled outburst instigated both officers to peer down at her. Quickly the brunette produced a plate that had been wrapped in a large red cloth with white polka-dots.

"I made these before I left. I added some bread slices to help keep the centers semi moist while the outer edges crisp. I'm really sorry they're not fresh but I don't have the means to do any real cooking or baking right now." Katie plucked the cloth after untying the large knot on top. Like a magician, delicate fingers revealed a large stack of chocolate biscotti on a blue porcelain plate. Their eyes spotting the ivory colored almonds baked into the delicious goodness.

This was the last thing Aokiji had ever expected. By now he would have checked on the progress of the new arrivals, napped his way into the evening, gone to living quarters and taken a shower before bed. Not be having a cup of coffee, albeit enjoyable, with fleet-admiral Sengoku and his granddaughter.

Kuzan would have never dreamed he, of all people, would be sitting on the ground cross legged awaiting for his next cup of coffee. To add to the outlandish experience, he was slowly relaxing. Genuinely feeling the tension in his back, let go. The man couldn't explain it but his shoulders didn't feel so heavy and he didn't want this to stop anytime soon.


	8. Not Big On Small Details

**Ok! A couple of side notes for everyone. First of all sorry! I am so late on this. I have been utterly busy and it's 0137 in the morning. I'm just now finishing this. Which brings me to side note #2. I haven't done much grammar checking this chapter. Forgive me if there are sentences missing and such. Tell me in the comments if you guys spot any.**

 **Now to my next agenda... Comments. Yes I do read them. I appreciate the time you take to ask your questions or leave your thoughts. I will however not indulge in questions that lead to spoilers. Sorry. I work at a slightly slower pace at times and the build up in this story requires, just that. At least in my mind.**

 **With all that out of the way. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a great... day, night, evening, morning...**

After some good conversation and many chocolaty biscotti, Sengoku had to say good-bye. It was at the end of the day and he had many things to wrap up. Reluctantly the protective grandfather left his granddaughter in the company of Aokiji but it wasn't something he would think too hard on. The man was an outstanding admiral, plus he and Garp had already warned her about asking for help. Dark copper orbs watched as the fleet-admiral patted Katie's head before disappearing up the stairs.

The long-haired brunette let out a heavy sigh just as she took a sip. By now Kuzan had relaxed with his legs stretched out and his back pressed against one of the support beams that jetted upward where an extension used to be. For a long moment, he remained quiet. His intention wasn't to be awkward but just enjoy the simple sounds of seagulls in the distance, the cadence calls of marines in training, and the chatter of people in the streets below them. Katie seemed to be on the same page with her eyes casted down. A soft smile touching her lips.

"Man…", he stretched. "This is the life", the man added before taking in another hearty gulp of his drink. His words earned a nod from her before striking him with a warm gaze. The admiral's breath caught compelling the man to shiver; that took him by surprise. After regaining his composure and pride, it made him chuckle. It was the realization of just how odd this situation was. Not since his early years in the military had he'd even thought of investing in the opposite sex. Now here he was with one that could literally choose any man on the island yet she was having a coffee with him. He didn't know whether to count this as his lucky day or not.

Kuzan watched Katie's nose twitched as she looked up at the clear, darkening sky as the sun was almost fully set. "It's going to rain", she clearly spoke while holding out her hand with the palm facing upward. Normally most people would have laughed at the idea of a person saying it was going to rain on such a clear evening but Aokiji had been on the sea for far more years than he'd like to count. He could feel the drop in the air pressure. All the signs were there as well. The tiny thin cloud floating above appeared too grey in color, the birds flying higher than normal, and the slight moist feeling in the air.

Disgruntled, the man dropped his head in defeat. "Not a good thing", she questioned before taking another long sip of her warm coffee.

"I have inspections in the morning", Kuzan answered while letting out a groan.

"Well that's not too bad", she added; only to receive an ' _oh really_ ' gaze with his brow raised. "Or… maybe it is", the young woman probed nervously.

"I'd rather not…", the admiral dryly stated before finishing his cup and standing. He watched Katie set her cup down and stand to bid him farewell. She really had to make an effort to look up at him but most women did, he thought. After a handing the mug back to her, he turned on his heels to pluck the navel coat from the nail. "Where are you staying", the curly haired man inquired while draping the article over his forearm.

"In the building behind you", she pointed out casually while cupping the large black mug in her delicate fingers. Now it was time for Aokiji's expression to grow blank. Crossing his arms, a shadow had over casted his eyes. Her two grandfathers really went out of their way to _**not**_ spoil her. The place was utterly unsuitable for anyone to stay. Especially with the bad weather rolling in. "Ah...", the brunette expressed nervously.

"I have a better idea…", he spoke up. The admiral's head was beginning to hurt both figuratively and literally. This was beginning to be more trouble than it was worth. Causing him to rub the back of his head gingerly before crossing his long arms, once more.

"Eh…? W…wait... What?" Katie was confused. She had an odd feeling he was going to offer for her to stay with him _**or**_ with someone he knew. It was the only two logical reasons to bring up his so called ' _better idea_ '.

An exasperated sigh followed as he continued to stand his ground. His features remained over shadowed before he cleared the air. "There's a place you can stay", he added. Watching her brows furrow and the concerned appearance twist into her character made the admiral realize how it sounded.

"Wait! Not like that! I…", he stammered with his eyes returning to their normal gaze. "I mean there's a place for family members to stay. It's not used much and it's on the edge of the training grounds so you'll hear the guys early in the morning...", Kuzan was quick to explain.

"Hm", the brunette hummed. "I don't know. My grandpa told me to not to bother anyone. Especially three people in particular. He specifically told me if I had any problems to go to him or if he wasn't around, go to certain people he knew.

She was cautious and with good reason, the overly tall officer thought. After all, a favor for her could put either Sengoku or Garp in debt. Luckily for the little woman, he wasn't like that plus he had his own agenda. She was an enigma. Katie could approach men like him without a hesitating and even Bastille had kind things to say about her. Smoker had praised her physical ability, earlier and that man simply didn't pass out compliments. He needed to know more about her. But what struck a chord with him was she had pointed out the number three. Aokiji wondered if she was told to avoid the admirals and if that was true, then why was she having coffee with him?

"Oh my… I get it but don't worry. I have my own reasons for helping out so it wouldn't be a problem." Her retracted body language and clenched jaw made the admiral realize how he had just immoral he sounded once more. Katie had become defensive by flinging her hands in front of her as to deflect any attack. Ultimately placing one coffee mug between her and he. Her large blue eyes darting up and down his form quickly. The petite female's body turned sideways to instinctively make herself smaller, if that was even possible he pondered.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… No! Not like that either…", he tried to clarify. "Your coffee", the curly haired man pointed in a desperation to correct what he meant. Kuzan rubbed his temples and leaned against the support his coat was hanging from.

"You want a cup of coffee in the morning…", she asked with concern in her tone. As if she nearly didn't believe him. Katie remained in her defensive position but slowly dropped her hands pulling the mug to her chest like a child with a teddy bear to ward off the monster.

He sighed and nodded. The admiral's head hung as if he had been overpowered. "Or whenever it's appropriate for you." To his astonishment, she was quite easy to convince as he watched her shoulders lower and her body turn to face him once more.

Copper orbs gazed into dark blue hues as Aokiji watched her body relax. "It tastes really good. It would be nice to have a treat now and again. At least until you get this place fixed up. I can't help you there but now you won't have to worry about sleeping under a roof that leaks", Kuzan had assured while pointing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the rotten roof sitting on top. "Now my question about three people you're not to bother… Who might that be", he asked closing his eyes as he listened to her response.

Katie stood almost dumbstruck. "Who else? The three admirals that work under grandpa Sengoku. Let's see there's Admiral Akainu-sensei, Admiral Aokiji-sensei, and Admiral Kizaru-sensei." His brow twitched every time he heard the honorifics attached but he'd still let it go for now. It just annoyed him on how old it made him and the others sound.

"I was informed that Akainu-sensei had zero tolerance for antics and could get angry easily. He was the most dangerous of the three and to be avoided if all possible and if not, give the upmost respect to not earn his ire." Kuzan found himself unable to argue those statements. They were all equally dangerous but to an outsider, Sakazuki would pose more of a threat.

"Then there's Aokiji-sensei, whom I was told to never… **_ever_** … disturb. The man may seem aloof but he can get quite serious. Once he's in that mind set, it had been expressed to get out of his way. It was also stated he can change his mind on a whim so I need to be careful of that." The admiral discovered that his reservations were well established. Katie honestly didn't know whom she was speaking too. A tiny smirk developed as he kept his eyes closed. The man wasn't sure quite how to take hearing about himself in not such a great light but he wouldn't stop her just yet. He wanted to know more.

"I was also told about Kizaru-sensei." Her pause led Kuzan to open his eyes and stare at her. For a split moment, the long-haired brunette appeared nervous. He began to become even more curious. "I was warned about his perception haki, ungodly hearing, and his incredible eyesight. There's no other marine like him. He can pick out a weakness just within a few seconds and exploit it. I was warned about his demeanor as well and to do my best not to garner his attention." Her wording and concerns were well placed. Even Aokiji was weary of the other admiral.

"Hmph", he responded by pushing himself off the support he had been leaning on. "Well… That's what I suspected though not quite what I wanted to hear. Which grandpa told you all this?"

Katie blinked before shivering. "Why do you ask", she inquired nervously before taking a few steps back. In the dark regions of her mind, the woman was starting to suspect the curly haired officer in front of her was one of the three admirals. If that was true, then she may have very well had just insulted him. The brunette feared her life was over.

Kuzan bent at the waist, closing the distance between the two. He poked the tip of her nose to show exactly how near he was. Watching her eyes widen was like watching a frightened animal. The officer doubted she could even move. The blue hue of her orbs could swallow him whole; just like the ocean, the color was hypnotizing. "Answer the question…", his deep baritone voice commanded without dropping a hint of frustration or anger. He was merely being clear in his authority, nothing else.

"B...b…b…both", she nervously answered him. Her eyes never leaving his until he stood straight up and let out a heavy laugh. Katie was at a loss. She didn't know what to do.

"Sorry, sorry! I shouldn't tease you like this", the rather large officer admitted in a cheerful manner. "So, what's your thoughts about them", he asked before observing a frustrated brunette grow quiet. Her cheeks swelled as the young woman held her breath and the female robbed the admiral of her blue hues by dropping her gaze.

"I… I don't know... I haven't met them and…", Katie paused to breathe. "All I have heard were warnings from my grandpa but on the ship… The men were pretty content to tell me about at least one of the three."

"Oh… Which one", Kuzan interjected quickly. He watched his company raise a brow in response.

"Nope… Not going to tell unless you can answer my question", she added before cleaning out his cup with a dash of water. Katie had used a large jug filled with the clear liquid prior, just for the coffee. The young woman left it out to wash the cups before putting them back in the bag. The brunette just used the red and white cloth that had come with the biscotti, to dry them.

"I'm Aokiji", the gentleman answered before she could ask as she returned to herspot. If there was a devil fruit to be able to turn oneself into living statue, he could have sworn the young woman had eaten it. Katie appeared traumatized. Her mouth was agape, the young woman's eyes where white, even her breathing had stopped. She was frozen.

Kuzan was taken back by her response to the point he became worried. Waving a sizeable hand in front of her face in hopes to snap her out of it but it didn't seem to work. Though despite this, he had to admit this was an exceptional payback for robbing him of her reaction prior. Genuinely, this was a bit more fun even if it was at her expense and… a bit cruel. But he wasn't big on the smaller details.


	9. Too Trusting

**Hello! Me again... You can run now... :)**

 **Any who, the reason this took so long was well yesterday I was BUSY... Plus this was originally going to be 2 chapters but they were two pretty short ones and well... that's just not fair to you guys. So I did my best to merge the two over and over again until it came out to what you see below.**

 **If the story is too convoluted between the chapters, let me know and I'll separate them. Thanks and have a great one!**

After a few long moments, Katie finally gasped. The sudden outburst even startled the seasoned marine. "Are you…", was the only thing Aokiji could ask before the long-haired brunette broke out into tears of worry.

"Grandpa is going to kill me", she exclaimed in a deafening tone. Her loud voice traveled over the entire cove, reaching Sengoku's ears who perked his head. He had arrived at the front office and was signing in. To everyone's surprise but his own, the windows even rattled.

"Hmmm… She must have figured out who Aokiji is", he nonchalantly stated to himself without skipping a beat. "I'll have to work on her observation skills", the fleet-admiral openly admitted with a dark aura quickly enveloping him. The poor staff that happened to come across the large officer quickly turned the other way or dropped their papers out of fright. No one dared to approach him as he made his way to his office. Even the vice-admirals quickly jumped to attention and vacated the area. Word spread quickly, that the famous Buddha was in a foul mood and no one knew why; this caused a bit of chaos amongst both the commissioned and noncommissioned officers.

Aokiji on the other hand was trying to get his ears to stop ringing. The loud eruption from the tiny framed woman wasn't something he'd ever dream Katie was capable of. She was so small yet proficient enough to blow out his eardrums. He had to remind himself to not get carried away teasing her in the future.

Katie appeared to have literally turn blue before his very eyes and had begun flailing her hands about. "Are you ok?!" Her voice cracked but he could still understand her words. Nervously, the brunette turned to her bag and dashed to stand before him. What astonished Kuzan, the young woman had suddenly appeared under his chin, seemingly growing a couple of feet. It didn't take much to realize she had retrieved a stepping stool but the sight to him was still slightly comical.

To the man's delight, the admiral could get a full whiff of her subtle perfume and the aroma of strawberries from her hair. The towering officer couldn't remember when the last time when a woman had been this close. He could almost lean in and put his chin on top of her head. Katie should have gotten the idea of something similar, he thought, since she tilted her head off to the side slightly.

What came next forced Aokiji had to hold his breath. The sudden sensation of silky digits brushing the sides of his neck, just below the ear lobe, pushed shivers down his spine. This escalated quickly, he mused. From judging the young woman's twisted anxious expression, the brunette had no intimate intention. This was much to his relief. Instead the shorter female appeared panicked or even sick. The marine could sense her fear and concern coursing through the tremors in her finger tips. It bothered him. This dread he was getting from her was deep rooted. It didn't seem to fit the rest of her personality.

The neck massage opened his ears and caused the ringing stopped but the pleasant feeling had his blood growing warmer… Kuzan could only take so much as his body had begun to become ridged with slight anticipation. If he would let this go on, he could kiss his discipline goodbye. Even gulping in deep breaths of air, didn't relieve the pit growing in his stomach.

They had just met and the admiral wasn't going to overlook her age either but most importantly, Sengoku and Garp were her grandfathers. The old man made sure his subordinate understood that. He wasn't an idiot as Akainu like to think he was. Aokiji could read between the lines. The fleet-admiral never really took his hand off her, adamantly proclaimed he was proud of her, and he couldn't count how many times he stated, "that's my granddaughter"; albeit it was with a boasting smile.

There were certain lines the admiral wouldn't cross and she was one; but he'd be damned if she wasn't making it hard. "You really are too much trouble", he sighed before cupping her hands and placing them back at her sides. "Come on", the man groaned. "I'm tired and it's been a long day."

Aokiji watched as her eyes dropped. The young woman's supple lips curled in as she appeared both guilt ridden and worried. "Hey", he snapped to gain her attention. A heavy hand came down on top of her head. "I'm fine", the man assured. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work as she raised both her hands to clasp over his.

"Are you sure", Katie asked. He had to admit, never in his life had he had someone worry over him as much as this. Though both annoying and appreciative, he had to remind her that he was an _**admiral**_. A shout, no matter how loud, wasn't going to faze him. Kuzan broke free of her grasp and quickly turned his wrist to hammer down a knuckle the man had raised from a clenched fist. The loud, hard knock could be heard echoing through the street. For a brief second the officer was jolted from the puddle he was melting into, to feeling the cold chill of fear. Had he gone too far, Aokiji asked himself. Briefly he regretted his actions until he saw the outcome.

Both arms had covered her head as she curved her back, backward. "Yyyeeeooowww", she bellowed. Trembling with pain, the young woman hunched forward before arching back again. "That almost hurts worse than grandpa's fists of love! FFfffffuuuhhh….", Katie began to curse but managed to contain it in the end. Teeth clenched as tears started to form at the corners of her eyes. Her blue orbs had been squeezed shut from the throbbing pain. Kuzan worried that he may have gone too far and made her cry but quickly concluded she wasn't that weak. The young woman began sniffling but she didn't start balling like other women would have. She even took it better than many of the men. Instead, the long-haired female seemed back to the person the man had met prior which the officer was glad to see.

" _Did_ …? Did you really have to hit me so hard", she grumped while rubbing the obvious sore spot on the top of her head. Her nose, now red, curled up with pouting lips made the man's evening even brighter. She absolutely appeared to be far too sweet and tempting. Any man would have been happy to go to her side. Maybe lay a kiss or two on those delightful lips of hers. Kuzan caught himself thinking things he shouldn't. He huffed in frustration after crossing his arms.

"I'm a marine. You can't possibly hurt me with a little yelling so I figured I'd bring you back to your senses." Kuzan shrugged. "It worked", he smirked lording his victory over her.

Katie didn't take it too hard but she wasn't going to go without saying her piece. "You don't hit girls…, you _jerk_ ", the woman exclaimed as if she were merely ten again. "Ouches...", she groaned between hissing. The young woman began picking up the items, though not many. The brunette was in her own world. The female had been so distracted, she didn't feel copper orbs following her about. Despite the throbbing on the top of her head, she was content. So far, her first day in Marineford had been quite pleasant.

Beside the fact that Aokiji was dreadfully tired, he couldn't deny that he had been satisfied with both his company and the coffee. It was a perfect way to tie up a long day. All he had to do was show her where she could stay while her construction was underway, shower, and bed. Skipping dinner seemed like a good option considering the time.

"Shall we", he asked watching her pick up her duffel with ease. A simple nod and the two began up the stairs. Kuzan didn't mind the slower pace. It was an amiable feel for the moment and not to forget that she was short. He had to continuously keep that in mind. What did resurface was the fearful, ill image of her just moments ago.

As they reached the top of the platform, in front of the headquarters building, Kuzan had the urge to talk about it. This seemed more out of character, he thought. When did he ever feel like talking so much, the man questioned in his own mind but brushed it off to the side. The towering officer chalked it up to his companion. The admiral was more relaxed than he was normally.

"Feeling better?" His voice rung clear but low. Copper orbs caught the young woman flinch from him breaking the sweet silence between the two.

"Hm", Katie hummed. "Oh! My head doesn't hurt any more", she added with an inviting smile.

"That's not what I was talking about… I'm referring to earlier", Kuzan pointed out as they continued with their stroll.

The young woman's eyes glanced over to the man in blue and white clad, walking with this hands in his pockets, and his jacket draped over one arm. He was truly amazing. Not in the sense of personality but just his physical form alone. Standing at his full height, the officer was towering. It was both intimidating and comforting. She was getting the sense of both. Katie let out a sigh after letting her smile fade. "Yeah…"

"Oh my", Aokiji responded in surprise. "It was just a question. Why the long face", he genuinely wondered.

"Huh? Um… Well, I don't really want to talk about if that's, ok?" The young woman rubbed the back of her neck before shifting awkwardly. The admiral didn't have to say a word but merely raise a brow. The brunette thumbed the straps over her right shoulder. "Just don't tell grandpa about earlier, either. I'm sure it'll disappoint him, again."

Katie paused to let Aokiji open the gate in the chain linked fence. She hadn't noticed that they had veered away from the main headquarters building and began heading east. The long stone path had come to an end at the border which opened into a massive portion of the island. All the thick forest had been cleared to make way for physical training. Equipment such as pull up bars and sand pits laid a good distance apart from each other. The only landmarks in the distance were two large look out towers on the coast line.

Kuzan pondered what she could have done to disappoint either of her grandfathers. Garp was a man to tackle any and all problems with his fists more than his head while Sengoku was one to challenge all issues more intellectually. After all his years with both, he couldn't see anything that would earn their discontentment.

"Now look at you… I help you once and you're already asking for favors", he teased with a more serious tone.

Katie nearly fell over to the side before walking through the simple gate that stood as high as her shoulders. Her body froze as she weakly reached in his direction. "That's not what I meant…", the young woman whined before slumping over in defeat.

"Don't worry… It'll cost you but I'll keep my mouth shut. Just tell me why it looked like you were about to be sick...", he smirked realizing just how gullible she was. The raven-haired man was under no obligation to tell anyone anything. Katie didn't need to ask him to keep his lips sealed but Kuzan guessed it was a good lesson for her to learn. Others wouldn't be so nice about it.

"It's going to cost me more if I ask you to not tell a soul about this, isn't it...?" The female dreaded the answer but she needed to confirm it.

"You bet", the admiral quickly established as they continued to walk side by side.

"Fine…", the brunette hissed before grumbling. "I… I can't… Well I can but I mean… I'm really scared to hurt someone. It's so bad I get sick. As I told Zephyr-sensei I don't mind violence, I know it's necessary sometimes, but I physically can't be a part of it. I don't freeze up or anything like that and I can defend myself but I still get really nauseated afterwards."

That was an answer the man wasn't expecting at all. It also explained why someone like her wasn't a marine. The cause of the fear was still unknown but he wasn't going to pry anymore today. She was clearly already uncomfortable but it still didn't explain her worry over her grandfather finding out. He was sure they'd love her just as much as they would if Katie didn't have that issue.

"Ah… What were we talking about", Kuzan injected. "I don't remember… It's been a long day", he sighed before rubbing the back of his neck and shrugging. "Oh, since you offered to make breakfast, I usually leave for work about six."

"Huh? I did", she questioned; a warning gaze appeared from the man she just brokered a deal with before receiving a knuckle to the top of the head once more. "Yyeeouch! Damn it, why did you have to hit the same spot again", she cried out cupping the area that begun to form a knot.

"Man… How many reminders do you need", Kuzan sighed playfully frustrated while stuffing his hand back into his pocket in a relaxed manner.

"You're such a _jerk_ …", Katie groaned with a slight sway from side to side.

"Well…", Aokiji chuckled. "I never said I wasn't. Not my fault you don't listen. Your grandfathers did go out of their way to warn you about me", he continued.

"Fine…", the young woman hissed before giving in. "It's not that bad. I usually get up at four-thirty in the morning anyways. I'll just leave my door unlocked and you can just come in whenever you're ready."

Something hit the admiral harder than one of Garp's fists. Now it was his turn to really worry about her. On a marine base, he would assume she thought it was safe to do such things but that was the complete opposite! This place was filled with hot headed, hot blooded, ego inflated buffoons. It was bound to happen that someone would think they could cross a line with her. Leaving barriers open, unchecked, would seem that she invited it. The consequences could become rather devastating.

"Hey…", he planted his large hand on the top of her head with lightning speed. His thumb firmly pressed into the bruise he just inflicted causing the female to stop and arch back. Hands tried to grab his wrist but every time she resisted he'd increase the pressure.

"Ouch! What now", she choked out as tears flowed like a water fountain.

"Don't you _ever_ … leave your door unlocked", his voice was dark. "I mean it", he snapped. "Promise me", the admiral growled after a brief pause whilst he watched her struggle against his grip.

"Ok! Ok! But why", she cried.

Feeling a bit better, Aokiji let go and began walking again. "This isn't your village and this place isn't your home. It can get pretty complicated so don't go around doing idiotic things and leaving your guard down", the man responded. The admiral hoped that was enough of a warning but just in case it wasn't, he'd have to keep an eye on her. He took her silence as a way of saying she understood but did she really? The way he saw it, Katie was just too trusting and much too naïve. He honestly felt sorry for Garp and Sengoku.


	10. A Hard Time

**Hello! Just here to say... Sorry for a short chapter. I tried and tried to think of some other way to show what the two thought of each other but it just wasn't working out. This way you guys can get an idea of the mind frame they are in before the real antics and drama begin.**

 **I am thinking of doing a questions and answers over the weekend. Just drop a line in the review box. Remember I won't touch on anything that is a "spoiler" but I would like to know what you guys are thinking and vice versa. Alright! Hope everyone is doing great and had a great weekend!**

It had been nearly an hour after Kuzan helped Katie check in. He assisted with all the paper work and even vouched on the woman's behalf despite having copies of her legality to Garp. No one believed she was remotely related to the marine hero. It was troublesome to say the least but the two managed. It was a long and grueling process but the relief she felt once she was through the front door was, blissful.

Katie could finally breathe. She was more than happy inside the large home. It was a single-story blue and white building, rectangular in shape with a flat roof but it was bigger than her and her mother's home in Foosha Village. It wasn't massive but built for a person over eight feet in height and came partially furnished, which was a nice surprise. The brunette wouldn't have to worry about a bed, coffee table, couch, or even a kitchen table with chairs. The place did smell old with a thick layer of dust over everything, but the furnishings came with canvas cover sheets to keep them clean and well kempt.

In the young woman's home, the floor plan was open with the kitchen just to the left side of the front door once the enter. It was bordered by counter which could easily be used as a breakfast bar. The open feel made the kitchen seem bigger than it was but it was still large by the brunette's standards. The front half of the duplex contained hard wood flooring. Dark cherry in color and heavy. The second half was laid with a black carpet and dark grey walls. The rug was thick, soft, and dusty but the young woman laying spread eagle on the floor didn't care. The feeling was magical.

The vice-admiral's granddaughter released a heavy breath and felt her body melt into the floor but only to have her thoughts betray her. Her cheeks flushed with color. After everything that had happened the long-haired brunette realized that she had just put her hands on one of the most handsome men she had ever laid eyes on!

"Gah", the female blurted before covering her face with her fingers. She kicked and flailed her legs as the young woman began rolling from side to side. "Oh god… Kill me… Why did I have to do that", Katie asked herself in a panic. "He must think I'm some freak or weirdo", she fussed. "I mean I did it without asking! That's probably why I felt his neck tighten", the female added while deliberating the situation.

Feeling her heart hammer and her blood raise, Katie tried to breathe to calm herself but it was proving to be more difficult. Her nose remembered the warm scent of his cologne and her pads still tingled with the smooth texture of his skin. The brunette shivered as she rolled over on her belly with her arms tucked at her sides.

"I hate this", the female proclaimed. "First Ace and Luffy wouldn't let me get close to any boys… Then both grandpa Garp and grandpa Sengoku decided I will never need to date in my life…", she groaned. "Now I'm on an island with shirtless, towering, good smelling, strong, handsome creatures of the opposite sex! Even if they are older…, they are still… _good looking_ …", Katie moaned helplessly before flailing like a dying insect. "Uuhhgg; I'm so …screwed", the young woman concluded before lifting herself up.

The walking dust ball soon made her way to the bathroom which was down a small hall and to the right with her new bedroom to the left. The room was large compared to what she was quite used too with a white porcelain sink chest high and with a black cupboard under it. "I'm going to need a stepping stool in every room", Katie sighed before removing her dress and letting it fall the floor along with her lacy under things.

On the opposite side of the complex, without the young woman's knowledge was Kuzan's place. Fortunately for her, the man was taking a shower while she was having her girlish moments or his ears would have heard exactly what she was spouting. The walls weren't thin but the ventilation was shared. If someone was loud enough, the person next to the adjacent room would be able to hear what was said. He could hear her flailing about in frustration but not understand why.

The man was more distracted with the day's events and to his displeasure, his mind wasn't letting up. In fact, it was straying into dark places it should never have been. "Man…", he groaned under his breath before placing his forehead to the shower's wall. He could reserve some of his strength if he was mostly out of the stream that poured down. Plus, couldn't deny the steam from the hot water felt good on his smooth skin. After washing his hair and scrubbing his face, Aokiji just wanted to rest and collect himself.

Unfortunately, there was a lively young woman in a room next to him that wasn't giving him that satisfaction. With every cute noise she made, the man's mind wondered. The admiral's nerves prickled and temped him to do things he really shouldn't. Eventually the tall marine understood he would be able to get his peace but the man simply wanted that moment to happen now. Kuzan's lungs drew slow ragged breaths once he heard her voice ring through the vent in the corner once more. All there was really was a wall between them. What he needed was a whole damn fortress. Over time, he anticipated the anxious feelings would dissipate but that wasn't helping him at the moment.

"I must be really hard up", annoyingly he spoke to himself. The black-haired officer kept the volume of his voice low. Of course, she was attractive and he might fly off and call her a super babe but he'd say that about any woman whom he saw attractive. Never in a million years would Kuzan ever act on his words or go out of his way to flirt with the opposite sex. He had more respect than that for both the female in question and himself.

Subconsciously the admiral reached up and brushed the left side of his neck with his left hand. A soft murmur worked its way out as his mind played back the texture of her fingers. "Damn her… Damn her for that", the marine cursed in a whisper. It had been far too long since a woman had put her hands on him. He had spent almost ten years without thinking of such things. There was a period in his life, he did try a lot of things to get his mind off of his sins but after realizing it was a waste of money and effort, he ceased. Time flew by after that. He and the other admirals were much too focused on their tasks and distributing justice. They may have cracked a joke or two about garnering attention but they could never afford the distraction. Missions fail and good men die, making it extremely difficult to have a family or even a better half at home.

Aokiji hissed lowly. Now all he could think about was the neck massage and how he wanted another. He was guilty of that much but he didn't like the idea that his body wanted more and was growing ridged against the wall. The tall gentleman raised his right arm to set his forehead comfortably on it to push himself off. Water trickled down the curve of his muscular back while droplets collected on his broad shoulders as he stood near the gentle spray.

Once his ears were relieved of her voice, his body settled. "There is a god after all", he spoke before turning off the water. His reprieve was merely for only a moment as his ears picked up the rumbling of pipes through the wall; indicating Katie had started her own shower. "Or not", the man growled. The idea of her nude body under hot water was enough to force another shiver down his spine. The muscles in his back tightened. A grunt dislodged from his nasal passage. Shaking it off, Kuzan decided to get dressed. He was quickly regretting helping her.


	11. Unexpected

**Hey! Hope everyone is having a great day! I am just informing you guys that I have recently purchased a text to speak app. I noticed I have missed quite a few errors in the past and obviously struggle with it. I wanted to bring you the best quality I can so over the weekends, I'll go through and begin correcting all those missed mistakes. Enjoy!**

The next morning, Kuzan could smell the aroma of wholesome food wafting into his complex. The delicious smell had woken the man from a deep sleep. One he wasn't anxious to get up and depart from but his stomach felt like it was gnawing on his backbone. The loud protests his gut was making were the sounds relating to what a mad animal would make.

His copper orbs began to blink and focus before glancing at the clock next to his bed. The alarm was set for five and to the admiral's frustration, it was four. To top off his foul mood, Aokiji could hear the rain smashing violently against the roof and windows. The wind howled vehemently. This made for poor weather to ride his bike in. A hiss formed from his lips as he sat up.

The only good thing about this ordeal, he would be able to use it as an excuse not to come in to work. The admirals took turns stationing themselves over night at headquarters just for occasions like this. Although rain in general didn't bother them too much; if it was a monsoon, then it would be almost impossible. The upside and downside to a devil fruit user. At seven, he'd get a visit from a messenger which was just fine by him since he had been torn from the comfort of his slumber.

Kuzan begrudgingly lifted himself from the confines of his warm blankets. The air was cool and normally would have given anyone a slight chill but the cold obviously didn't effect him. To say he was immune was an understatement. He digressed by washing his face and rubbing the sleep from the corners of his sharp eyes.

Through the vents, the admiral could hear the rustling and sizzling of delicious food in the making. "I'm going to get you back for this", he declared sternly but unsure if the young woman heard him through the vent.

As the admiral made his way outside and locked his door, his eyes widened. The sight of a mountain of crustaceans laid before him as the rain beat down on the overhang; which reached over across all four buildings. It protected the residents from weather such as this like a second roof. The large pile was higher and contained a variety of giant lobster, monster sized crab, enormous shrimp, and many clams the size of his fists.

"I have to be dreaming", Kuzan muttered in disbelief. The man approached her door but then remembered how he had disciplined Katie for thinking she could leave it unlocked. The admiral had a strong hunch that it was in fact, unlocked. A large hand turned the knob and with ease, it opened. A heavy sigh escaped before taking a step into her home.

Upon entry, the man's sense of smell was welcomed with the aroma of miso and sweet white rice. The fragrance permeated her complex with the residual scent of oyster sauce still lingering. A waft of sake touched his nose and forced his stomach to growl. The whiff of vinegar was light and he quickly understood it was cooking sake. The brunette was going all out, it appeared. Copper orbs soaked in scene of pans gingerly bubbling with steam rolling upward. A sauce pan seemed to be simmering what appeared to be a mix of clams and vegetables in a dark sauce. Aokiji's ears could even pick up the sounds of oil sizzling as his eyes spotted small bowls of tempura batter.

The marine's head turned to see what she had done with the rest of the complex. Everything had been cleaned. There was no trace of dust, even on the walls. It even smelled 'clean'. Slipping off his slippers, he entered with no fear or consideration. If Katie wanted that she would have locked the damn door, he thought.

Kuzan could also feel the air considerably warmer than his own place. After all, she had been cooking for what appeared to be a while now. Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his loose grey sweat pants, the admiral quietly walked about. He could hear her in the bathroom. It sounded like the young woman was pouring water or some sort of liquid into a tub full of water. From the sake jars lying about, he guessed it was another jug of sake. This peeked his curiosity.

A few long strides and the towering officer found himself at the end of the hall. Trying to not appear phased he acted as if seeing what was before him wasn't surprising but internally he was shocked. Katie had filled the entire black tub with clams and had just finished emptying a full jug of sake into it. To maintain his relaxed appearance, the man leaned in the tall door frame and let his shoulder rest on the wood. His weight shifted to the side as both hands remained stuffed into his pockets.

"My oh my…", Aokiji spoke breaking the silence. "Your bathroom is a little bigger than mine", he teased. In general, the bathroom was a midnight black with matching utilities minus the sink that happened to be pearl white. A matching white line created by tiles, circled the entire room in the center of the wall to break up the dark color. With a matching sink and overhead lamp, it was a nice sterile design. The light was dim to go along with the motif, which for the most part, was easy on the eyes if one just woke up. His bathroom was made up of the same design but was marine blue.

Katie turned her head and her lips peeled back as her eyes widened. The frightened appearance was comical to Kuzan who simply saluted his hello but it didn't help. Further more what caught his attention were the clothes that she wore. A bikini top with blue marine symbols and anchors patterned over white fabric. Her shorts were a faded blue jean color and rode high on her milky thighs. The admiral shuddered. His dark thoughts in the shower prior, came rushing back. Letting out a deep breath, the marine was able to resume his normal state.

"Yo." He couldn't help but give the young woman a playful glance before returning his hand to his pocket. A leg crossed over the other as he relaxed. The young woman seemed devastated. She was completely white before falling back on her rear, dropping the brown jug in her hand in the process. Kuzan was a bit taken by her reaction. She probably happened to be so deep in thought that his appearance must have rattled her, at least that's what he thought until he saw crimson flow from her nostrils. With her blank stare, it was painfully obvious the female was unaware of it. The marine was soon struck with worry. "Oh my… Katie…", Aokiji spoke quietly to not startle her more than she already was. "Your…", he pointed to his nose as he leaned over to get a closer look.

The long-haired woman's blank white eyes returned to their normal state as blue hues graced him before gazing down. The female wiped her snout with the back of her hand only to come to the realization how bad it had been. In her mind, the panic button had been hit.

Quickly the brunette peddled herself backward until her shoulders hit the wall. With the grace of a cat, Katie turned her back to him; she had snatched the green towel above her head and bunched the fabric under her nose.

Why the hell did he have to come dressed like **_that_** , the young woman cried in her thoughts. Loose navy blue tank top with white marine written on the front…, check. Baggy dark grey sweat pants…, check. Showing off most of his upper muscular body…, check. The man had no **_shame_**! The shirt was so low cut, she could practically see his bare torso! Why, she continued to weep in her own thoughts. And why didn't those old bastards prepare her for this?!

Katie heard Kuzan make his way behind her. The man had lowered himself to sit on the floor. As blue eyes saw the legs stretch on both sides of her petite form, she could feel another gush of blood rush out her nose. Her head was light, even dizzy. All night the brunette had been fighting with herself. It was why, in the middle of a devastating storm, that she went for a swim. Albeit the blood in the water attracted the sharks but they didn't pose a threat.

The young woman heard an audible sigh before seeing the light black out. The warmth of his palm over her eyes caused Katie to shiver uncontrollably. Her heart raced as his fingers were long enough to brush over the top of her ear. Gasping for air, the brunette drew in heavy breaths through the towel as her nose bled profusely. What surprised the young woman the most was the other arm coiling around her midsection. His smooth skin was warm and the feel of his chest against her back, comforting.

Katie whimpered. She was almost in tears. Unable to figure out what to do, the young woman froze. The brunette couldn't see his copper eyes move over to her trash can which had been filled with crimson soaked tissues. It was like a horror show had been left. Obviously, she had been dealing with this for a while. Her skin was clammy; she was cold to the touch. To add to his concern, the female was pale in complextion.

Exhaling, Kuzan leaned down. "Katie… When did the nose bleeds start", he asked slow and low. Her shoulder nearly coiled once his soft breath touched the outer shell of her left ear. Her silence was deafening. "Were you scared I'd go and tell your family", the man continued thoughtfully. The admiral could feel her slump forward. "Now again…", the admiral revisited the first question. "When did this start?"

The larger man could see and feel Katie shift in his arms. She had to think of something quickly. Telling a man that he's partially the cause for bleeding out wasn't a good way of going about things. "I don't know… Earlier…", the female answered with her tone muffled through the cloth.

"Before or after you went swimming", Aokiji calmly asked after taking in the scent of the ocean from her hair.

Katie's mind clicked. It wasn't exactly lying and Yasopp had taught her if she was going to sell a lie, do so with four truths first. The brunette's silence was taken as something else and she was relieved. It was clear the marine officer took her sealed lips as fear of the old men finding out. After all, what would also cause a nose bleed like this one would also be considered idiotic in their eyes.

" _Don't make me repeat the question_ ", Kuzan darkly warned with patience running thin in his tone.

"During", the female quickly answered. "I have a strong sense of smell. If I dive, I must be careful to clear the pressure from both my ears and nose. If I don't… The blood won't stop. I get light headed and dizzy sometimes. Grandpa… Well both, have drilled in the dangers pretty good but I get so distracted…" Her voice was quiet but she could breathe once more when the tall admiral leaned back on both his hands.

"Man…", he playfully groaned. "And here I was hoping it was me causing it…" Luckily for the young woman, she didn't see his boyish smirk. The tease garnered her trying to flail her arm backward at him but the height difference was so great, she just swatted air.

Relieved to a degree, he wanted to make sure she was going to be alright. Kuzan needed to be close in case something disastrous happened. Like Katie losing consciousness. Last thing she'd need was a concussion. He had seen several free divers with the same symptoms and the outcome wasn't good. With it raining as heavy as it was, there was no way the admiral could fetch her help.

The marine glanced over at the clams in the tub. They were huge. That size off the coast line, she had to have gone deep and in rough water. It was a testament to her strength. Also, more importantly, her cooking skill. "Eh?!" The clams were alive! He thought they'd be dead by now but the mussels were breathing and drinking in the sake.

"Hm", she hummed turning her head to see him staring at the tub full of clams. "Oh…" the brunette spoke while undoing her pony tail and removing the towel. "They'll live for a while like that. It's cooking sake with herb seasonings. Once they fully open up, I'll scoop them out of the tub and put them in a large steamer. They'll be soft, juicy, and really tasty", the female explained by turning to the side and folding her arms over the edge of the bathtub.

"They'll be dinner with a mound of kinoko gohan on the side. Plus… some tempura, lobster tail, miso, and other things. I love cooking…", she admitted with a soft expression before laying her head down on her arms.

"Grandpa Sengoku taught me some recipes while grandpa Garp showed me how to hunt my food. But they aren't the only ones. There's a woman by the name of Makino who helped raise me, though she's more like an older sister. She was worried when I left. She knows I hate eating alone… Because of that, I skipped dinner and tried to go to sleep. Well then the storm moved in and the loud thunder mixed with the high winds, I couldn't. That's when I decided to go swimming. I was low on food anyways. I had just gotten over another nose bleed so I decided to start soaking the clams while the other dishes simmered."

Kuzan chuckled. "Alright…", he stated before giving her a solid tap on the head with his knuckle.

Katie's eyes turned up almost demonically as she bared her teeth. "What was that for?!"

"Haha", he couldn't contain himself. She literally went from this kind, sweet little person, to a sharp toothed devil. "You didn't lock your door, like I had warned", he smoothed over his words.

"What?! I did too, you jerk! I even hung my key next to the door to remind myself!" The young woman flailed like a child throwing a tantrum.

The sound of the front door opening, caught both their attention. This brought a solid chill down his back, forcing his senses to become alert. Someone-had-been-in-the-house. "Stay", he barked before quickly coming to his feet and leaving. He didn't close the door behind him. He wouldn't dream of it. If the sound was a distraction, the man wouldn't leave it to chance to put a barrier between the two of them. In the living room, the air had become quite chilly. His frozen breath seeping from his lips. On high alert, the man's eyes darted about. The coast was clear as far as he could see but the door had been left open.

Kuzan was livid. This was a mockery, to not only his pride but his profession and rank. They were saying yeah, they were there and he didn't even notice. An admiral of all people, didn't notice how close to danger he and his company were. A hiss of anger could be heard as his lips curled back, baring his teeth. The officer wasn't going to let this go so **_easily_**...


	12. Breakfast

**Hey! Just saying thanks for reading my story and hope everyone is having a great day!**

Kuzan felt a small hand slide up his arm. He had to stop himself from freezing it and Katie in the process. It was simply too soon for her to approach him. There were times when he needed to be treated like a mad animal and not be touched. His hammering heart and heavy breathing were all signs of the marine practically seething. The idea that someone had gotten to dangerously close was agonizing. He failed, the man admitted to himself and it enraged the officer. In his mind, evidence pointed in her direction as the target for whatever the reason. This meant it wasn't safe for her. The marine could think of two very good plausible explanations to as the reasoning but it was still uncertain.

The officer's thoughts brought him to another place in his mind. Who has she met, who could have known Katie resided here, what was their motive, when did they start following her, and why? If they had begun watching since her arrival then even fleet-admiral Sengoku didn't realize it. If they had started after her check in, that would narrow down the list but then they'd have to be a devil fruit user since he personally knew the staff. Plus, in this weather, they wouldn't have gotten far. Unless the worst possibility, they weren't a devil fruit user and they were just that skilled…

"Kuzan… Kuzan… Kuzan-sensei… Headquarters calling, admiral Aokiji", Katie continued in concern. His sharp dilated pupils moved down at the sight of a woman hugging his arm to her chest. He could feel her warmth and it brought him back to his senses. The tall officer sighed and lowered himself.

"So… I use your epithet and the word headquarters and that's _how_ I get your attention?" The female sighed. "You must be pretty bothered", she blatantly stated while eyeing the open door. "Well… I'm dead", the young woman openly admitted. "Both those old geezers are going to strangle me", she let out a sigh and took a step back. "And… You did warn me to not let my guard down. Didn't think I'd have to use any haki while I was here but that doesn't seem to be the case. I just hope they didn't screw with the food. I can't smell anything at the moment so there's that too."

Katie's rather calm demeanor seemed almost unfazed by the serious implications that just had occurred. The admiral gazed over to her while in a crouched position. "You're taking this rather lightly", he identified while watching her close the door.

"Yeah? Well nothing I can do about it can I?" The brunette waved it off before rubbing her arms to warm herself from the frosty air. "You're a devil fruit user, aren't you", the long-haired female asked as she made her way to the stove.

"I ate the hie hie no mi fruit", he admitted. His eyes followed the petite female while his ears listened for anything out of the ordinary.

"So, you're a walking ice dispenser", the vice-admiral's granddaughter asked with no shame and a simple smirk on her lips.

Kuzan casted a rather disgruntled gaze in her direction. "Oye", he huffed. "I'm not in the mood", the man warned with a shadowy tone. Copper orbs followed her precariously.

"I'd say I'm sorry but then I'd be lying. Look", she paused to look at him with metal tongs in one of her hands. "I get that you're irritable. I understand it's your pride that was wounded and it's pretty exasperating. Grandpa always told me that a man's pride is more delicate than a woman's; he's just better at hiding it than she is. You're not alone. I'm really angry too, you know? But literally there is nothing I can do about it nor can you. You know this…"

Katie began speaking with her hands in her normal animated state. She was angry. Probably more so than Kuzan. After all it was her home. Her sanctity had been violated and if they touched the food, the young woman was going to go off like a cannon ball. The brunette used her cookery to settle her nerves. It was everything she could do to keep from punching holes in the walls.

Unlike others who would have sat around scared out of their minds and worried over the fact that it could happen again, the woman welcomed it. There was a face she was going to Garp slap so **_hard_** … The granddaughter drew in a deep breath before continuing her conversation with the admiral. She fought the ill feeling that erupted in her stomach. The thought that she wished to do someone harm didn't sit well with her.

"So, either you can sit over there and stew while trying to see if you hear anything out of the ordinary... _or_ you can go fetch me a moist warm towel. I need to see if they tampered with the food."

The tall officer blinked. He sighed feeling a bit at ease. Best sound advice he'd heard in a long time. She was right. There was absolutely nothing he could do at this point but just be more careful in the future. Standing to his full height, Aokiji left to gather a white hand towel from the bathroom. The sight of clams drinking in all the sake was almost disturbing but it was one of his most favorite meals. Starting the warm water, the man turned on his heels to investigate the room across the bathroom. It was an opportunity for him to go about the house while she preoccupied herself.

With a flick of a switch, the overhead light beamed on. The bedroom was large. It contained a bed that would fit his long legs just like his own. Envisioning a vertically challenged person such as the brunette sleeping in it, forced a snort of laughter. The piece of furniture was lacking sheets but he could see a bright and colorful quilt that had been slept in or on. The way the material was bunched in a heap didn't leave any details. It appeared that Katie's story stuck, though the man didn't have any doubts.

Kuzan pushed further and walked in only to pause at the end of the bed. His eyes narrowed at the uneven part of the carpet. It had revealed foot prints that had lead behind the door.

The prints were small. Just like that of a woman's but they were too big to be Katie's. Gave him a general idea about the size of the person. It was better than having nothing, Aokiji considered before returning to the faucet in the bathroom. The water had become hot and the man slipped the wash cloth under the stream before turning it off and wringing it out.

Once he returned, the aroma of tempura hit his nostrils. His stomach roared. Katie paused and looked up to see a man seemingly defeated by his own hunger. "There's also coffee", she added before setting the table. Kuzan began to help as well. The brunette had snatched the warm towel and began softening her sense of smell with the steam it produced. After what seemed an eternity, she could smell the food. "Nope… All good", the little woman exhaled before nibbling on bits of tofu from her soup.

To the marine's surprise the spread was large and inviting. He couldn't remember the last time he had a home cooked meal. One that would satisfy his hunger. With ware made for men the size of Garp and Sengoku, his large mitts could easily hold the sticks and fill his plate. For breakfast it was miso, white rice, tamagoyaki, yakizakana, and tsukemono.

With every bite, Kuzan could feel his body nearly melt. He could truly understand her ire if the perpetrator had altered the meal but the admiral had his suspicions that they wouldn't. They were spying. If poison had been a factor, they wouldn't have stuck around. Another mouthful had him almost humming.

After breakfast and dishes, the two sat with their coffee at the table. "I need to prepare everything after this. The lobster and crab could go bad if anything happens to them", she added. "Oh… That reminds me… I caught a golden tuna. I made a variety of tuna rolls, sashimi, and sushi. I placed them in bento boxes for you and grandpa. I even made…", she paused to yawn. "Extra for grandpa Garp if he comes back today."

Kuzan watched Katie rub her eyes while explaining that she just used a fish that was the fourth most expensive fish in the sea. Furthermore she used it for bento boxes. That couldn't be right. "Prove it", the admiral called the young woman on it. "I know a few tuna species that appear to be the same on the outside but their meat is red and not golden on the inside."

The brunette raised a brow. "You don't have faith in my ability to know what I caught", she asked with a snarky tone.

The admiral watched the young woman take long strides to her cooler and pluck a plate that had been covered by special wax paper. It was usually used to keep things sticking to it and could withstand high heat and freezing temperatures. After plucking one of the extra sushi rolls, she placed it on a white small saucer.

The man didn't know what to say when the item was put under his very own nose. The meat glistened and shimmered. It was pure gold in color, adding to the value. It wasn't dark or light but pure. The sunshine yellow fish wrapped in nori with a sliver of avocado with a pearl white coat of vinegar rice. Nothing else added for the flavor, the meat would speak for itself.

"Oh my", he finally uttered. "For real", the man asked. "Do you know how much this is worth", Aokiji almost exclaimed in shock.

"Priceless", Katie dryly answered. "If it makes grandpa smile… It has no price", she added.

Excitedly Kuzan grabbed the roll between his fingers and popped it into his mouth. The taste was exquisite, the texture melted against his taste buds. For a moment, the man was in heaven. Then he nearly choked when he realized this was what she had planned for his lunch but where was the rest? That species of fish was monstrous in size.

"How much did you make and how much do you have left", consciously the admiral asked. He'd have to compensate the young woman for something like this.

For a second, the brunette hummed but then took a quiet sip of her coffee. "Like I said… Enough for lunch but I made them rather big. If you were planning on staying late or something, it would be enough for you to have enough dinner to tide you over. Then what I couldn't fit in the cooler, I put in the freezer."

Aokiji's mind nearly shut down. This had to be a dream, he thought. "When did you have time to do all this?"

Katie broke out into fits of laughter. "I had some good people teach me how to manage my time! Besides I only have two dreams in this life. My first is to open a coffee shop for everyone to come and have a moment to relax. The second… Well that's a secret, but both dreams need me to know how to do so _much_ in so little time", oceanic blue hues smiled brightly in the officer's direction.

Kuzan choked on his coffee. The food and the view were too good. "Don't…", he murmured. "Not like that…", the marine added before rubbing his own eyes with his fingers. When she appeared clueless, Aokiji shuddered. "You really are too much…" A dreadful exhale worked its way from his lips before standing up.

"Listen… I really wasn't planning on this but I'm going to get ready for work. You're coming too. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem for you to come and see old man Sengoku. I'm just not comfortable leaving you here and there's business I need to take care of", a no questions asked tone caused the little woman to shiver but nod.

"I have a problem though. The clams are in my bathtub and though it'll be about eight hours before they die, I need to take a shower. Not to mention all the unchecked food outside." Large eyes blinked with curiosity.

The marine pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine… Come over once you're done collecting everything you need. Bring the lunches with you too. I'll freeze the mountain you managed to build outside. Should last until we get back. Then will you have enough time to make dinner", he was genuinely curious about.

To his delight, she smiled. "Hai!" Copper orbs watched her bound off to her bedroom. Kuzan hated to admit it but the only reason for going in on a day like this was to show off. Though often he loved his naps and slack on his work, he was still a bit of his formal self. The high ranking official wanted to be cool and lord over the other two a bit. Eating golden tuna with the company of a gorgeous babe who…, just happened to be the granddaughter of both the fleet-admiral and a vice-admiral. He couldn't wait to watch Sakazuki eat his hat.


	13. Imminent Curiosity

**Good morning everyone! I'm so sorry! I didn't post yesterday because I finally got my new computer up and running plus... there was sushi! How could I say no to that?! Anyways, this chapter had been split into two parts. I did this because I didn't want to convolute it too much by switching back and forth between povs. It was bad enough between Aokiji and Katie. If this chapter is confusing in anyway please leave a comment in the review box. Anyways have a great day! See you guys again tomorrow!**

The walk wasn't too bad. It was merely thirty minutes at a slow yet steady pace. The admiral had put up an ice cave to walk under and to his surprise, Katie was quite entertained by it. Aokiji could feel the enjoyment building inside as the brunette remained close. She went all out with a nice outfit and makeup. The young woman made mention about her appearance reflecting her grandfather earlier. The officer understood and honestly wasn't going to complain about it either.

After fifteen minutes, the officer found himself unable to tear his eyes away. Katie had donned a short black pleated skirt that stopped just above mid-thigh. Under the skirt were lacy tops of solid black stockings. With every step, ivory flesh peeked from underneath but it still wasn't indecent in the high-ranking official's mind. Rather it had become overly tantalizing for any man in Marineford, he thought. For a top the young woman had worn a large knitted blue sweater. The baggy sleeves reached passed the thumb with a low-cut v shaped neck line. It revealed more than he'd care to see. Well, rather he would… but not at _**work**_! The curly haired gentleman could see truly how endowed the brunette really was! The admiral couldn't even look at her without supple flesh teasing his thoughts.

To add to the man's dismay, the female put on a simple black choker and her dark bark colored hair in a large bun. The small loose ringlets of hair emphasized her slender neck and small lobes with the velvet accessory forcing his eyes straight to her exposed silky skin. Nether the less, despite all the distractions, the female appeared professional with the addition of vanilla and honey perfume. The fragrance had been applied almost too light for him to even smell but occasionally he'd get an enticing whiff. What did make him laugh is that she had worn black high heels and still only managed to come up to his upper torso.

The admiral's next surprise came when the tiny woman presented bento boxes wrapped in dark green cloth. She had retrieved them once she finished preparing herself. Abundant wasn't the correct term. Feeding an army? Not even close. She had stacked nine boxes into two columns. Now the brunette insisted that she carry both lunches and a large pack of items that she grabbed in the process. There was nothing he could say or do to win the argument. Katie was a stubborn one, he had to admit.

Once the two had entered the massive structure, it took no time to introduce the young woman to the staff. He presented the female as a volunteer and neglected to add any information that Katie had been the fleet-admiral's granddaughter; nor did he even mention Garp's name. Aokiji did this on purpose. If she were being spied upon it could have been by anyone. The more information he kept to himself, the better.

Katie had become awe struck but remained close. The sounds, aromas, and sights were almost too overwhelming for the vertically challenged woman. The female didn't want to get lost or too distracted.

The long corridors lined with guards and the people going in and out of the shoji doors in a hurry made the scene seem chaotic. She was nearly bumped into many times. Vice-admirals, commodores, captains, and even a few seamen were to wrapped in their own affairs to even notice the tall admiral walking through.

The aroma of cigar and cigarette smoke caused the female to cup her hand over her nose and mouth. The smell of sake and wine lingered in the air and stung her eyes. "Do they always smoke and drink at this time in the morning", the young brunette asked in a low muffled tone.

"They do if missions go right or if they go severely wrong. From the sounds of it, I'm going to receive a report about Garp's mission. I can hear one of the accountants crying." His straight voice was almost too artificial to the female but Katie didn't think too much on it. He was probably in work mode.

The female followed the tall man until they reached his office. She was taken back by the sight. It was stylish in nature with a simple couch, a desk, a chair, and the far-left wall had a glass cabinet with a large bonsai tree etched into it. Three trees, one on a top shelf and two on the bottom were placed inside with light beaming down on them.

Katie let out a deep heavy sigh. "I'm so happy you are not a smoker", the female coughed while clearing out her nose and lungs with substantial breaths.

"Are you feeling ok", Aokiji asked with a bit of concern. The man moved to her side as the tiny woman was forced to put the lunch boxes down. Her pack making a rather lively thud behind her as Katie shrugged it off. The tall admiral put a warm hand on her shoulder. A strong thumb stroked the top of her arm near the shoulder area in hopes to comfort her.

The officer was thankful that she didn't pull away but needed to hold his breath. Soft, silky digits rubbed over the top of his hand in response. "I'll be fine. Just a little out of breath from holding it for so long. I mean… I'm used to swimming so it's not a problem just not used to the aromas mixed in."

Once her blue hues gazed upward as she smiled, Kuzan snapped his hand back. A quick turn on the heel allowed him to swallow hard without her noticing. He couldn't help but take his left hand and rub the top of his right where Katie had stroked it. The man's fingers even trembled. A begrudging memory from his younger days began to surface. The officer had to remind himself to be more careful.

"Um… Ok…", she spoke cheerfully trying to break the awkward feel to the room. "Is there a place I can store these? Maybe also…", she paused to poke his arm. "Make you a cup of coffee", Katie asked without hinting that she had in fact saw how uncomfortable Aokiji had become.

The admiral had become relieved. The brunette either wasn't dwelling on what had happened or she completely missed the mark. He would bet on the later. "Down the hall to the right; it's the first door to your left. The break room for the full-time staff is there. Feel free to use any of the amenities or appliances. If anyone gives you a hard time just mention you're volunteering and in my care. If they don't believe you, come get me and for some reason if you get stuck just shout."

Aokiji waved the young woman off. He didn't mean to be rude towards her; the man needed the room. He wanted to take a breather. The feeling of her soft fingers still lingered on the top of his hand. If the officer wanted to be frank, he was _spooked_. His heart was still hammering away inside his chest. Once she left with an upbeat step, the admiral crossed his arms over his desk and put his head down. Of all the things he had been trained to be ready for, **_that_** was not one of them.

Katie found her way rather easily. She was quite happy to put some distance between herself and Kuzan. After she had brushed the top of his hand things became a little strange. The young woman couldn't deny the buzz still present in her shoulder though. For a man who had control over ice, he was warm. His hand felt strong, safe, and inviting. "Man… I really know how to mess things up", she openly admitted before reaching the door and quietly sliding it open.

The young woman's eyes grew in size as a beaming smile crossed her supple lips. It was a kitchen! An enormous kitchen with two stoves, four refrigerators, white cupboards, dark blue granite counter tops and two separate sinks. With everything clean on the sparkling white tile floor, the two brewers nestled in front of her just begging to be used, the female couldn't hold in her excitement any more. "This place is awesome!" Bright yellow stars flashed before her eyes as she happily ran in and began her tasks.

What the brunette woman hadn't realize was that her outburst echoed through the halls and two floors up. It startled even the most trained guards who were standing in the halls ready for action. Aokiji couldn't contain his own laughter which could be heard by two guards stationed near his door. They had to glance at each other to make sure the other wasn't dreaming.

Her enthusiasm entertained him. She really had a gift for turning a serious situation into a light hearted one, that was for sure. Reminded him of Garp back in the day. To his ears, it had been the first time someone had ever said that about a break room. Furthermore the admiral knew someone of importance would be sauntering down from the head office.

Kizaru had been the one on nightshift and probably had been bored out of his mind. That man didn't like to do work but he also didn't care to be restless either. None of them did. It was why all three hated having it their turn to watch over for the night. Kuzan knew the man well enough to know hearing an unfamiliar voice would ultimately bring his attention. The admiral understood Katie had a rather sharp tongue and Borsalino had a knack for bringing out the worst in people. The tall marine would go to her rescue once he'd feel the other's presence.

The wait wasn't too long. Aokiji could sense the other admiral descending from the upper floors. The man felt like a kid again. He was about to show off. Katie wasn't his by any means but they were becoming fast friends. This, in a sort of way, was to poke fun at the other two. He knew they'd be quick to do the same. Especially, Boraslino who enjoyed showing off his prowess. It didn't matter to the man if it was a fight or a conversation. That sort of personality oozed into his everyday life. It earned a lot of respect but it also alienated many of the vice-admirals and lower ranking staff. Sakazuki and he were probably the only two who could really take it in stride. Knowing the situation at hand, Kuzan was curious himself as to how Katie would handle such a conceited personality.


	14. Morning Coffee

**Good evening everyone! Hope your day is going well!**

Katie was unaware of the new set of eyes watching her from the open shoji. Kizaro wasn't sure what to make of the newcomer despite the young appearance reminding him of a woman he used to know. The only one he'd ever admit having an eye for. The likeness was too uncanny; it was spooky. He would have easily thought the brunette was her daughter but Angela had passed away years ago. His chest became tight as soon as he remembered reading about the tsunami incident. It was the dreaded feeling of regret the admiral had buried long ago.

Borsalino may have been older, wiser, and an admiral of all things but he wasn't dead. The eerie likeness brought up a few things the man enjoyed seeing in women. A lean physique and tight thighs he could easily guess from swimming often; her bun was thick with ringlets of small hair on the nape of her neck. She knew how to dress to catch attention. He did find her height rather odd but it was just like Angela's.

From behind amber tinted sunglasses, Kizaru closed his eyes for a moment. He could still hear the omelet sizzling, smell the aroma of burned coffee, and hear the short woman call his name for breakfast. It was a good time in his life. He and Akainu would often fight for her attention during meal times and something he saw the golden brunette was oblivious too. Now that the older man thought about it, it was what caught his attention in the first place. She was an innocent woman despite her genius intelligence. A heavy sigh found itself free of a hammering chest. The black haired man opened his eyes again to return to the moment.

The admiral in yellow was struck by an odd detail. The young woman wasn't in uniform. Black orbs behind amber tinted glass watched the brunette grow frustrated as she reached for a coffee cup on the very top shelf of the cupboard. The larger marine mugs were located up there. It wasn't unheard of for someone wanting to use one of them but for someone her size, it was a comical thought. It took a bit of practice not to snicker when the young woman realized she still wasn't tall enough to reach the top.

The young woman lowered herself in a huff before kicking off her heels. She hoisted herself up on the counter top. To add to the comedy, the female still wasn't tall enough. Out stretched, Katie couldn't help but feel her skirt rise a little; this allowed the admiral to see teasing strips of skin below the hem. He could remember when Angela did the same.

The brunette elevated herself on her toes before she turned to the side to get those few extra millimeters. Her fingers could feel the smooth texture of the porcelain but just seemed out of reach. Every time she brushed the pad of her finger over it, the handle pushed away.

The sight was something for the admiral to take in. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy it. " _Ooh…~ Good morning…~_ _I hope I'm not interrupting anything…~_ " Borsalino drew out his words but accompanied them with a polite smile. The admiral got a little satisfaction watching the female startle.

"Ah! Sorry", Katie quickly apologized. The young woman stopped trying to reach the white mug before turning towards her new company. The marine observed slender fingers slip over her skirt to keep it in place while the brunette bowed politely. "Good morning sir", the vertically challenged female kept her head lowered as she continued. "I'm terribly sorry for the scene but I'm a bit under the height limit to reach one of the mugs."

A thin brow arched. Kizaru was immediately stunned by her manners. Most of the gorgeous women in Marineford knew they could get their way with simple tricks such as a cute smile or a wink. This brunette had already lowered her head while understanding the situation she was in. Damn… He would usually mock the female in question but this one took that away from him.

" _Ooh~ That's quite alright…~_ " His smile tightened. The man's large sunglasses rose up on his nose. " _What's your name dear…~_ " Borsalino meandered over with a few long strides.

Katie could see he was going to help her. She didn't dare raise her head until the man reached the counter. The brunette took note that this gentleman in a yellow striped suit and green button up with a mauve tie, had the same feel to his presence that Kuzan did when they first met. The young woman climbed down and cleared his path. The vice-admiral's granddaughter bowed again and remained in the same respected position as she spoke. "I'm…" Her voice was merely cut off at the sound of another clearing of a throat.

"Katie…", Kuzan spoke in her place. Copper orbs darted to meet Kizaru's frightening form. That man really didn't care for strangers, the marine thought. The exceedingly tall gentleman doubted the young woman could see it but she was definitely about to jump into a poor situation. The admiral in yellow was digging for information. He would mock her until he got what he needed and then discard the unfortunate granddaughter.

Aokiji didn't know the real reason behind Borsalino's actions. Kizaru understood this and eased up but never took his eyes off Katie. Black orbs followed her form closely.

To the admiral in blue's relief, he watched his colleague straighten his back and reveal his trademark smile. The questioning admiral had returned to his normal state. Aokiji learned Borsalino's various expressions over time. To the normal eye they could appear the same but to someone who knew the man, they were diverse.

"Let me introduce you two", the towering officer continued before leaning into the door frame and crossing his arms. "Borsalino… this is Katie… Katie… this is admiral Kizaru. She's my volunteer today. I saw no harm in it since her grandfather is an outstanding marine." There was a smirk that worked its way across Kuzan's lips. It betrayed his thoughts of showing off the brunette. The officer in yellow clicked his tongue in response.

Shortly after Katie felt like a child. The men were huge! Not in a Zephyr fashion but tall, the young woman contemplated as she watched the slightly taller officer make his way past her. The one named Borsalino shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned his back against the door frame across from Kuzan. The two faced each other with their legs extended outward blocking any potential new comer from entering and using the facility. The young woman simply took the moment to start the coffee she had brought with her. The aroma soon permeated the break room and seeped into the hallways.

Small snide remarks ceased before the two had come into the kitchen and taken a seat at the circular table. The piece of furniture was made for men their size. It was no mystery as to why it was so close to Aokiji's office. The two admirals began chatting more than just short little remarks. The officer in blue asked many questions relating to investigations and missions while the other in yellow lightly answered them with brief details.

To Kuzan's astonishment he'd hear the young woman going about her way around the kitchen. Occasionally his eyes would break away from the discussion and spot her whipping cream with a whisk or pouring his coffee. Before the man knew it, his drink was placed below his nose. She had added a creamer to the dark liquid. The blanket of foam on top had become a painting with decorative swirls and bubbles. The raven-haired man couldn't deny the aroma. The fragrance practically called his name but what was presented was almost too much.

"My coffee is supposed to be drank; not made into an art piece", the admiral pointed out.

"Are you complaining", she quickly retorted before tugging on Borsalino's sleeve. The little woman pointed upwards towards the cupboard. The man gave a gentlemanly grin before standing and grabbing not one, but two large white mugs.

" _This one is for when the third person arrives…~_ ", he spoke cheerfully before patting the top of her head and returning to the table. The man in yellow ignored her physical retorts which caused the young woman to scrunch her little nose.

The admiral proceeded to unbutton and slip off his double-breasted blazer. In return the female tapped his arm and reached out her hand. Without hesitating, he handed it off and observed her hang it on a metal coat hook near the door.

Kuzan couldn't help but to continue with his leer. She really was something. The young woman was handling Kizaru rather well. It was better than what most could say but he also knew the other man was paying his respects to him by not teasing her too much. He didn't miss the pat on the head. Astonishingly enough, the short female didn't either as she had playfully waved off the admiral's hand before taking care of his blazer.

The two ignited their conversation back up. It appeared they were ignoring the little woman but that couldn't be further from the truth. Kuzan had turned his seat sideways to face the open break room. He could stretch out his legs and cross them at the ankle. Borsalino had also turned his back to the wall and crossed his legs instead. The two admirals ran parallel to each other with a table in between them. They didn't do this because they were comfortable with each other but because there was a rather eye catching female skirting around.

Aokiji took a long sip of his coffee and nearly choked. The flavor caught him off guard. The nutty taste was naturally sweet and light. It wasn't weighed down by the use of sugar. The aroma filled his senses and he could practically taste the smell. He could understand why many people were into gourmet coffees but what really made this higher in quality, was the smooth texture. The cream really enhanced the semi bitter liquid. The admiral couldn't believe this came from an ordinary marine coffee pot.

"Chestnut", the curly haired man asked with his tone dripping with bewilderment.

Katie shook her head as she set Borsalino's drink in front of him. "Close… Hazelnut. The cream is naturally sweet and brings out the roasted flavor of the nut. I used a light skim creamer unlike other places. I also aerated the top to make it foamy. The bubbles trap the aroma of the coffee as steam rises. With every sip you can get the full whiff of the coffee without losing any of the experience. I won't compromise the taste nor the aroma since humans need to smell in order to enjoy their food and drink. Plus, with it being morning…, it's just a pleasant way to wake up." After her long explanation, the female turned on her heels and made her way to the refrigerator.

Both admirals watched Katie lower herself after using a hand to smooth out and tuck the hem of her skirt in the back of her knees. The young woman was mindful of her attire. This also surprised the admiral in yellow. Most were eager to flash men such as himself to gain something. This one knew where she stood and apparently didn't play the dirty tricks Borsalino was used too.

Katie paid little mind to the whistle of approval Kizaru gave as he sipped his own drink. The officer was tired and this surely did the trick waking him at least. Then the taste, without a doubt, had taken him by surprise. Borsalino could see why the other admiral wanted to show her off. If **_he_** had found her first, he sure would have hidden her away. The young woman was like a treasure, great looks and a remarkable cup of coffee. To add to her value, she was polite and well spoken. They didn't make women like that anymore, the high ranking official thought.

Aokiji remained quiet. He did remember her saying she wanted to own a café but didn't realize she had extensive knowledge on the subject. Hell, he didn't even know there was a science behind it. If anything it revealed her determination to make her dream come true. It also elucidate to her familiarity around a kitchen but damn it, did she really have to wear a skirt that high or the sweater that low?! Her distractions were going to kill him!


	15. The End Of His Precious Naps

**Hi! Hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm a little worried that I'm giving too much information away and ruining the mystery, if that's the case please tell me. Also I really like Zephyr. Who doesn't? Also OneWhoReadsTooMuch Garp is a boss of a man but away at the moment. Remember he's working so have patience! He will return in an epic manner! I promise! :D**

All good things must come to an end, at least that is what Kuzan thought once he felt Akainu's presence enter the building. He let out a heavy groan. His copper orbs picked up on the subtle change in Borsalino's facial expression and it didn't seem to fit in his mind. The officer in yellow was a man who loved to show off but the appearance the admiral saw caused his back to become moist with sweat. That man never stopped smiling and in this case, Kizaru did. The corner of his lip was straight while the other side was still turned up. Some would see it as a smirk but the quirky officer wasn't like that. This was a worried, if not, serious expression.

" _Katie dear…~ You can pour the coffee now…~_ " Kizaru casted a sympathetic glance to the young woman as she nodded and did as he asked.

Kuzan felt a shiver of apprehension. " _Oye… What are you not telling me_ ", he snapped using a deep undertone. There was something he was missing and it felt extremely important.

Borsalino merely lifted his cup to his lips and took another sip of his coffee. He didn't even bother looking in Aokiji's direction. Black eyes behind gold and amber glasses studied the brunette. He noted it didn't take long for Katie to return with Akainu's cup and a large plate of biscotti. The aroma of cranberries hit the two's senses, ending any hostile overtones the admiral in blue was exuding.

The warm aura the room had gained seemed to have instantly disappeared. The young woman had to rub the back of her neck. It felt like a dark, heavy presence had descended upon the three. Large blue orbs blinked at the shadowy figure in the door frame. It was as if all light had been blocked by this one colossal character. Her sensitive nose could pick up traces of expensive cigars and cologne. The aromas weren't thick but still enough to force the female to wrinkle her nose a bit. Katie bowed politely and held her position as the sinister appearance entered the room. His bark colored orbs casted downward at the tiny female with dark hues of copper and chocolate hair.

"So are you the one responsible for making this place smell like a damn café in here", Sakazuki asked with a stern tone. His face remained hidden in the shadows under the bill of his cap.

Katie arched a brow as she bit back the thoughts rushing through her mind. She was struggling to **_not_** speak her mind. The young female let out a breath before opening her mouth to answer. Unfortunately, the other two couldn't come to her rescue. If they spoke in her place, it would appear that she could easily hide behind another as if she were just another woman. The young lady needed to stand her ground.

"I apologize if this had caused you any trouble", the young woman spoke clearly before extending her arm out; ignoring the tone of his question prior. "There is a cup that Admiral Kizaru-sensei has designated for you. Please enjoy", Katie invited.

Every prickled nerve was firing off in Sakazuki's personality. She didn't act the way she was supposed to. The woman was allegedly to get offended or angry. Instead the brunette kept her head low. Invited the mad animal to the table. He was already in a severely poor mood because of the Big Mom pirates. Their antics were costing the marines several beri in damage and good men. It was going to be a mass funeral procession in a few days and this _**glory hound**_ was making this part of headquarters smell like a god damn kitchen!

The admiral in red shivered as his blood ran cold. He finally came to some of his senses as an image of Angela appeared. She used to sneak into the extending office, reserved for vice-admirals and cook for Borsalino and he. The twit before him appeared like her so much… It was painful. His chest even began to throb. His strong jaw clenched. It had been twenty-four or five years since the tsunami incident. This young female would have no ties to the woman whom he only ever cared for and would go as far as, threaten to throw his whole career away. Angela was his and his alone. If she could have just seen that back then, she would have been his wife by now instead of a victim of the sea.

Katie felt awkward. The silence was deafening. The two onlookers could only watch as their colleague stared ominously at the female. Kuzan was ready to jump in if needed since she was HIS responsibility. The admiral had told her to join him today. The lightly tanned officer merely sought to show off a bit but didn't expect things to turn out like this. The shadowy man in the red suit had started to take things too far like he had always done.

The bizarre feel to the room seemed to have shattered once a familiar lavender haired man stepped in. He donned a black suit with his white marine jacked hung over his shoulders like a cloak. " _What's going on here_ ", the vice-admiral asked in a low-pitched tone.

It was evident that the man's growl didn't pass over Akainu's personality well. The slightly shorter admiral snapped his head around with a deadly scowl. Zephyr simply raised a thin brow as he peeked over his thin rimmed glasses. The marine didn't rattle nor scare him. Dark grey eyes narrowed instead. He let out a sigh. It was too early in the morning to deal with the hot head, the vice-admiral thought as he adjusted his glasses.

"Katie dear… I spoke with your grandfather last night", his eyes dropped to her bowed presence who immediately stood straight and gave him a sincere smile in return. The bigger man couldn't help but to chuckle before continuing. "We both felt it wise to get you a female escort for the short bit while you familiarize yourself with your surroundings."

The female slouched forward with her head dropping in the process. "I told grandpa not to give me special treatment", she whimpered. "I can make it on my own. He doesn't need to worry", Katie voiced her defense as she returned her gaze to the much taller man.

"Really", Zephyr questioned. " _Right now_ , I see three admirals alone with a vice-admiral's granddaughter. How do you think this will reflect on him? Also let me touch on the fact, she's also the _fleet-admiral's adopted granddaughter_ standing by herself with three men she doesn't even know." The marine knew he sounded somewhat harsh. If the young woman was a puppy, he would have watched her ears drop. Luckily, he was a father and used to those expressions. If he hadn't, the vice-admiral's demeanor would have crumbled.

"Oye", Kuzan snapped. He wasn't some high-strung teenager who just joined the marines to get the girls. His sharp eyes met cold steel grey orbs. Between the two men, they evenly matched in power. Zephyr's large body eclipsed both Sakazuki and Aokiji. The admiral in blue and white stood to his full height before setting down his empty mug of coffee. He was then reminded the purple haired vice-admiral was over a foot taller.

"Katie is with me. She's volunteering today to get familiar with the people and places", the admiral dryly responded.

The vice-admiral was impressed and relieved but he wouldn't show it. He was a father and completely understood Sengoku's worry. Zephyr even had his fears about leaving someone like the young woman alone on a base full of marines. The man's wife thought it was quite humorous since she began reminiscing her adventures on another base. She also stressed that Katie would need a female around that was a little wiser.

The larger man cocked his head to the side to a degree. "So, you'll take responsibility for this debacle?" Zephyr pointed through the open shoji to the various staff and marines walking by in the halls.

Aokiji crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. He hated to admit it but the vice-admiral had him. The curly haired admiral knew who Katie was and yet it by his actions he put her in a situation where people would get the wrong impression of her. If he didn't know any of the context, it would appear that she was a typical **_glory hound_**. A term used for women who did unsavory things to gain favor from the higher-ranking officials.

Katie blinked. She really was unsure what to think. Luckily for her there was an admiral in yellow who was quite good at handling peculiar situations. Blue eyes saw his long finger motion for her to come over to him which the brunette did without hesitating. To her surprise the officer stood up and tugged the shoulder part of her sweater to follow him. The duo walked over to the counter while the three men barked at each other. The noise was almost deafening as Kuzan defended Katie and the actions taken that morning. Sakazuki didn't care to be insulted and tried to verbally reprimand only to have the taller gentleman bite back.

The tall admiral in yellow put the young woman on the opposite side of the three. He literally read the situation and understood how quick Akainu would be to fight. Not wanting to see her get hurt, he wedged himself between. Zephyr and Aokiji would definitely hold back in hopes to not get the Angela look-alike caught in the fall out but the monster in the red suit, wouldn't care. He was the only one Borsalino worried about.

"What's all this racket", another voice sharply interjected. A familiar white haired woman walked in. The scowl she bore deepened. Her dark eyes shifted around the room as she took in the situation.

Katie peeked her head from behind Kizaru. Blue orbs widened as a squeal of happiness escaped. "Auntie!" In a flash the twenty-three year old had wrapped her arms around Tsuru. The brunette was hugged in return as the two rocked each other back in forth in excitement.

Zephyr had to give a smirk of admiration. Her speed was frightening. The mountain of a man wondered if his would even be enough should they need it. She clearly moved on instinct just as he had been warned about. Last night, the young woman apparently had gone swimming sparking a concerned report from the watch towers. The fleet-admiral had summoned those he was close too as a response. Even Garp was on a den-den mushi. The commander-in-chief wasn't happy to hear she was residing on Marineford, not without a leash at least. He even referred her to a beast in human skin. She was a demon and should not be taken lightly.

It made the vice-admiral wonder if her personality had been an act but Sengoku and Garp both sharply interrupted their formal fleet-admiral. Under proper care and supervision, she hadn't had an episode in nine years. A testament to their love and devotion and in kind, her returned adoration for them. The vice-admiral rubbed his temples. His head still rang from all the bickering and arguing the three had engaged last night. The men finally concluded the young woman needed an escort for a little while. Something about getting familiar with the sights and smells which also struck him odd. Most would say sights and sounds but her sense of smell was legendary. Garp said it was so keen she could keep track of him in a thick jungle after a week of raining.

"Tsuru… When you're done, can you take her to my office? I'll summon the two we discussed about last night. Also, these guys allowed a pretty girl to turn them into uttering buffoons. Can you lecture them for me? I need to go have a smoke."

Katie had buried herself into her auntie's light pink button up. She was always stylish in the brunette's eyes. The elderly woman wore a tie that matched the hue of her pants; like today it was burgundy in color with a pink floral pattern. The grey haired officer had donned dark brown leather gloves and her typical sunglasses sitting on top of her head to add to her appearance. The one thing she never took off was the earrings that the brunette had given her a few years prior.

When Zephyr had gone to place his hand on top of Garp's granddaughter's head he found it stopped by a tiny grip. The speed and accuracy was shocking. Even the other three admirals looked on with astonishment. Katie lifted her head and offered a painful smile. The vice-admiral grew cold. He had been warned she was quick to learn situations and adapt accordingly. They were all specifically told not to tell the young woman about their plan and yet he had a deep trepidation in the back of his mind that he spoke too much.

"You said summon… I'm guessing between your words earlier about me needing an escort and you having auntie take me to your office, it means that you had a meeting with grandpa." Katie's voice cracked but not out of anger. It appeared she was fighting not to cry. The man would be right. She was desperately trying to swallow that hard painful lump in her throat when anyone was about to break down.

"Grandpa Sengoku and Garp trust me to the fullest and would never make decisions behind closed doors without consulting me. There is one who absolutely _hates_ me though... and I'm sure something happened to earn his attention. Kong is forcing grandpa to do this, isn't he", she asked.

Zephyr retracted his hand. She wasn't painfully holding it or even threatening. It felt like the time his son was scolded at school for fighting and he asked his dad why the teacher treated him differently after he had served his punishment. This was excruciatingly tearing at his heart strings. If she would just simply stop smiling like that, he could answer but instead found his breath stuck in his throat.

"Don't be silly", Tsuru swatted the back of Katie's head. "That old fool is just worried that he and Garp didn't teach you enough about crafty _marines_ …", she accusingly spoke to the three behind the young woman and her. "Besides, that spiked haired blowhard doesn't hate you. He just doesn't know how to deal with those he's worried about", the older vice-admiral assured while cupping the female's jawline.

The brunette placed her hands over Tsuru's gloved fingers which laid spread over her cheeks. The painful smile faded while a nervous one replaced it. "Going to throw up", the elderly woman asked in such a gentle tone that scared the men in the room.

"Hai", Katie answered meekly.

"Turn left once step out; it's straight at the end of the hall." The vice-admiral bumped her forehead to Katie's before letting the young woman go. Quickly the brunette left leaving the elderly woman crossing her arms and glaring at three men who watched the whole scene unfold.

"It's really true then…", the lavender haired man asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately…", the white haired officer answered with a sigh. "It all started when she was little and those bastards pushed her too hard, too fast just because she was Garp's granddaughter." There was a sterile tone to the woman's voice that sent a shiver down Aokiji's spine.

"Damn it. She would have made an incredible marine", Zephyr lamented before stepping away.

"Kuzan", Tsuru called out. "I heard she's living close to you", the woman stated out of curiosity.

The admiral nodded. "She's my neighbor", the man answered without hesitation before leaning against the counter top. He could feel the heated gazes from two others in the room. Aokiji didn't want to admit it but it felt good.

"Excellent", she chimed casting a warm yet deceitful grin. "You wouldn't mind her helping around your office on days like this, do you", Tsuru inquired without skipping a beat or knowing that's what his plan was in the beginning.

"Not at all", the towering man smirked. There was so much he wanted to know now. Even mentioning the legendary Kong's name forced the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. Between secret meetings and her suspicions about them, not to mention others spying on her; Kuzan had a feeling his boredom was about to end along with his precious naps.


	16. Lucky Grandpa

**Ok... A few things I seemingly need to address.**

 **First of all I received a few private messages concerning about the status of the story. Which means they are wondering why such a seemingly light hearted story turned heavy. Well there are heavy points to it. I don't think I hid that fact. If I didn't make it clear, I'm sorry. The story is a romantic humor/drama adventure. Don't worry, Katie won't let things get too serious for too long. That's why she has brothers.**

 **Another thing that was brought up was the size. Someone apparently complained that my chapters are too big. If this is a general consensus then I will cut them down. It just means more chapters. I'm thinking this is actually the case since the views were nearly cut in half by this last chapter. If I should redo it, let me know.**

 **Lastly... Someone asked about the romance. Yes there will be some love'n going on! Just give some time for the two to grow. I have never liked instant love stories. I hope you all can understand where I'm coming from.**

 **Again, please leave your comments in the review box. I do read them and if you want to remain anonymous, you can pm me (as long as it's about the story). I don't mind.**

It had been a little less than an hour; word had already spread around saying a brunette female with such beauty was the cause of three admirals fighting over her. Luckily no one knew what she really looked like but the murmurs were annoying one Aokiji, who had been trying to sleep on the whole ordeal. He just needed to relax and lay his head down but nearly every time his eyes closed, a couple of guards or staff whispering to themselves about it. The damage had already been done and he couldn't rewind time. Though this morning he had wished he had. Katie wouldn't have been put in the center of everyone's attention and he'd be able to get some decent sleep.

The admiral's mind wondered as he laid on his floor with his arms folded behind his head and his coat draped over him like a blanket. The man had pulled down his green sleeping mask to deal with the light from the windows. He had managed to turn off all the lights, remain quiet behind a closed door, and listen to the ferocious wind beat the side of the large building. His windows were peppered with countless rain drops that had been hardened by the chill in the air.

The ambient sound was nice but it would only last so long until someone walked by whispering or even chatting aloud as if to challenge him. The admiral wasn't petty enough to bite. He just let them do and think as they pleased. Kuzan knew her enough to know that none of it was true. She wasn't trying to get anything out of anyone and they were arguing amongst themselves because of trifling issues. Mostly Sakazuki, if one was to point fingers.

The admiral just worried on how Katie was doing. The latter part of the discussion seemed to have triggered something and made her seriously turn pale. He didn't want to admit it but he felt sick for putting her in the situation in the first place. The man then corrected himself. The higher ups had a meeting the night before. Everything had already been set in motion. Aokiji realized he was feeling helpless, not sick. When was the last time he felt like this?

The officer didn't get to dwell on it for too long. Loud commotions echoed through the halls as he could hear fleet-admiral Sengoku yelling at the top of his lungs. The windows rattled to the point the raven haired man couldn't hear the rain any longer.

"Katie! Get back here", the commanding officer shouted. His voice was followed by, what sounded like, a loud explosion. Marines fearfully fled down the halls spouting how if they stuck around, they were going to die.

"No way old man", Katie retorted before another boom was heard.

Swiftly Kuzan rose to his feet. He worried they were under attack but it was a fleeting thought as he realized Sengoku and his granddaughter were having an argument. Once his large hand shoved over the shoji door he saw the little woman pause. She was sweating, panting for air, wide eyed, with a toothy smile. Over her shoulder was one petty officer Tashigi demanding to be put down but easily ignored.

Before the admiral's very eyes, he watched with amazement as his superior move with lightning speed and smash the floor where Katie was standing. With equal quickness, the granddaughter dodged it and used her free hand to push herself backward off the much bigger man's forearm. Much like a bunny hopping upward and pushing itself back with its extended limb. The brunette sailed through the air and landed with grace.

"Oh my", Aokiji stated in astonishment. Her movements made it clear, she was no push over.

"Time", the brunette yelled at the top of her lungs.

Kuzan observed as Sengoku froze in place. He stood nearly motionless and tossed away his serious appearance. Instead the older man blinked before tilting his head to the side slightly. The two men watched as the young lady half turned and pointed her thumb towards the shoji door behind her.

"Grandpa… Your lunch is in one refrigerator and Aokiji-sensei's in the one next to it. They're the bento boxes on the bottom", the female spoke in a thoughtful tone. "Kuzan-sensei…", she hummed. "Could you make sure grandpa eats. He gets really worked up and strained easily. When he's like this, he'll skip lunch and fill up on okaki later."

A thin brow arched. "Oh my…", the admiral teased. "Here I thought you were going to be sulking a bout. Also, drop the honorifics. It makes me sound like an old man…", he added.

Katie blinked innocently first before letting a devilish grin cross her expression. Her smile was so wide and mischievous, it forced her eyes closed and her cheeks to grow pink in color. "Eh! So, you're not an old man?! Wow! Could have fooled me", the long-haired brunette gave a thumbs-up accompanied by a wider grin.

The officer in blue felt a vein pop over his temple. His facial expression was serious with shadowy overtones. He clearly did not like what she had said.

"Oh… _Scary_ ", both Sengoku and Katie spoke simultaneously with their hand over their mouth as if they both were taken back by Aokiji's sudden dark demeanor.

The vertically challenged female was forced to put Tashigi down who huffed and began verbally yelling at the brunette. The vice-admiral's granddaughter turned to the other young woman in a dark burgundy t-shirt and white capri pants. "Go… You know where I'm living so meet me there. I'm going to have to take a little side detour out of a window"

The swordsman was shocked to find the other female wrapping her hand around her wrist and pushing the raven-haired marine to the left. Katie went right and straight down the corridor towards the window.

Kuzan's reaction was too fast. A sheet of ice covered the whole passageway, including the brunette's escape route or so he thought. Surprisingly, Katie used both her knees in busoshoku haki and her weight along with her momentum, to shatter his barrier. The admiral then remembered her statement about using haki in the bathroom that morning. He was certainly taken back and left standing in bewilderment.

Sengoku stood next to the marine with one Tashigi appearing both confused and upset. What she had seen certainly amazed her but not clear on what had just happened. This wasn't the marines the female was trained in. This was chaos and the two men weren't even fazed! One fleet-admiral bore a toothy grin from ear to ear while other officer stood blinking in perplexity.

"Sss… Sir", the petty officer spoke while saluting the fleet-admiral.

His eyes casted down in her direction. The man's smile never even faltered. Sengoku was proud. All those years of training and his granddaughter was able to slip by someone as sharp as Aokiji. "What is it", his voice asked in a clear tone.

"I want to apologize for her…", the woman bowed at the waist before the higher ranking official interrupted the female swordsman.

"Don't", he snipped without losing his warm expression. "She knows what she's doing. Sure, that kid of mine dragged me from my office and insulted an admiral in the process but Katie does things whole heartedly. She's earnest that way. That girl trusts you and that makes me feel a bit at ease. Don't ever feel that you must apologize for her actions. That brat would never ask you too and as her grandfather, I wouldn't either. Your duty is simply to show her around but I'll bet she saw you as a friend."

Tashigi blushed when she felt the warm pat on her head. "Just be prepared to train with Garp when that old man gets back. He won't let Katie rest which will ultimately pull you into it…", he warned ominously in a deep groan.

"Hai", she saluted before running after her charge but used the hallways and stairs instead.

"You two doted on her too much", Kuzan cut in with his gaze shifting to the fleet-admiral.

"Ah… I can't argue", the older man sighed before sliding open the break room's door.

"That took me by surprise. What other tricks does she have", the admiral asked while returning his sights back on the broken window. He watched as the other fellow marines were rushing to fix it. Cold wind and rain were barreling through, causing a chaotic scene.

"Oh… Many… Since she's grown fond of you, I'll tell you like I told the others. Don't take her lightly even in small bouts like moments before. With her handicap, Garp and I taught her to exploit any openings presented. I did say she was earnest and whole hearted. I meant that", Sengoku clarified before going into the break room. He headed straight for one of the refrigerators.

"What is this _handicap_ ", Kuzan asked bluntly before going to the other cooler and plucking his lunch. It was much too early but it seemed right to talk about this over food.

The fleet-admiral returned with a heavy sigh. His warm expression faded into a rather sterile serious one. It made the other officer wonder if he had asked the wrong question. "I guess you're going to find out sooner or later and I know if you ask Garp, he wouldn't disclose what happened. Katie would simply get sick again and not tell you either", he paused. "Kuzan… I'm only going to say this once. It is but isn't my place to tell you what happened nine years ago. If you can convince that brat of mine to reveal _even a little_ … then I will surely fill in all the blanks over some sake", the higher officer stated before smiling broadly as he plucked his food from the fridge.

The marine wasn't completely satisfied with the answer but he could wholly understand. The curly haired man couldn't help to smile when Sengoku's facial expression returned. "You know… I was going to eat with you but I think I'm going to pass." Aokiji paused a moment to put his lunch on the table. "There's a young lady who needs a reminder in manners", the admiral hissed with a smirk on his lips.

"Hai hai", the fleet admiral waved off while he enjoyed every bite of the golden tuna rolls and other items Katie had prepared. It was a succulent array of food that catered to Sengoku's tastes. He was such a lucky grandpa, he thought despite being teased about retiring earlier. Now if he could only just convince her to not be so reckless, he'd be set.


	17. Touch of Ice

**Hope everyone is having a great day!**

Kuzan left out the same window Katie had broken. His speed was nearly unmatched except by two others and they shared the same rank as him. The man's copper orbs scoured the horizon, the thicket and trees below, and the stoned pathway leading down towards the rest of the island. The raven-haired admiral spotted her petite form bouncing from one tree to another, just using the tops. The high wind made it difficult and the rain was almost too much for him. Parts of the sea had been picked up by the storm and making it even harder for the officer to move but he managed.

The man found it amazing that he could still catch up with relative ease. He was slowed by the environment but the ranking official could see her expression; Katie was really trying to move as quickly as she could. With her sudden movements prior, he over estimated her abilities. Aokiji came to the realization that the brunette was simply a rookie. Her strength was nothing to laugh at and her ability to dodge was keen but now that he could play back the events in his mind, her exchanges were just too basic.

The admiral wanted to put his theory to the test. With no eyes to scrutinize him or see either of them in this storm, Kuzan jolted forward to get next to her. The tree top was enough for the both of them but he didn't care for getting blasted in the face with hard, chilling, rain. He'd been on a ship long enough to know what it was like being in the bird's nest which was roughly at the same height. It was never a pleasant experience.

Katie startled and jumped back only to crash through the limbs that were now made of ice. The whole tree was frozen before the admiral leapt to the ground. Kuzan landed on his feet while the brunette kissed her bruised pride as she laid on her back.

"Hey jerk! What was that for", the young woman snarled but remained where she was. She was going to let the blooming pain settle before attempting to get up. The female counted her lucky stars to have slowed her fall on every branch but eventually the limb would break. It was simply miraculous that Katie didn't get impaled.

"Ice vault", he commanded quickly.

Almost instantly, the two were engulfed in a frozen box. Even the ground was solid under the long-haired brunette. The air was more than frigid; it hurt with every breath she had to inhale. The young woman's wet clothes against the painfully frozen environment forced her to begin shivering almost instantaneously. Suddenly the back of Katie's skirt felt stiff. She tried to stand up but merely pulled back down by the waist band of her attire. It quickly became clear that her skirt had frozen into the ground. The sound of ripping fabric was briefly heard from her last attempt before she remained seated.

The admiral blinked in disbelief. The man heard what happened and suddenly felt guilty. "Oh my! That's not what I was trying… I mean, I didn't wish for that to happen…", Kuzan was quick to apologize.

The young woman ignored him before coating her fist with armament haki and hitting the ice floor. To her bewilderment, it didn't break but now her whole hand hurt. The female hissed and cursed before muffling her sounds against the split knuckles. The surge of pain wasn't completely unbearable but close. She could taste the copper fluid brush the edge of her lips as she kissed the wounds. Blue orbs blinked to stay dry. She didn't want to cry in front of Aokiji.

The marine flinched and even cringed at the hollow sound of her bone colliding with the harder surface. It should have broken her hand if not, severely bruised it. It was going to be useless for a while at least. When his copper orbs saw her raise it again for another strike, the man whipped in behind her. His left arm swooped around her mid-section under her left arm, his right hand snapping around her right wrist.

"Hey-hey…", the officer rushed his words quickly as he sat on his heels behind the little woman. The admiral dipped his nose to the top of her head. He wanted her to feel his warm breath; the raven-haired man needed to keep her calm and that was all he could think of at the moment. Aokiji began to genuinely feel remorse since she had started to panic. It was all over the woman's expression despite her cheerful visage. "Hey… Shhh… I'll get you out…"

A long pause of silence followed but Kuzan couldn't do anything. Her muscles were still locked. She'd strike if he released. The admiral wasn't expecting things to go south this quickly. He just wanted to test her strength but now that he thought about it, she wore a smile like he wore his jacket. It was put on but not articulated. Many times, his orders conflicted with his conscious and more than a handful of occasions the officer had to swallow his own perceptions. He had to act unfazed in the eyes of his men.

"It's ok, I'm fine now", he heard her chime. Aokiji could still feel the heavy quivering. The ranking officer had his reservations and wondered if this was a normal mechanism for her. This morning she seemed so sick over something in her past yet not even an hour later, bounding through the halls. It reminded him when there was a spy in her home. The brunette in his arms was quick to not to discuss how she felt about it but was swift to happily go with him. How long had she been doing this; hiding her genuine feelings? The tall officer pondered if her stint with Sengoku wasn't some sort of tantrum disguised as a joke. It was excruciatingly transparent she wasn't over anything.

"Katie", the marine spoke faintly. "I'm going to break the ice but I need you to remain absolutely still", he explained. His answer was a groan of annoyance and followed by a nod. The young woman's body relaxed against him. He could feel her arm go lax. Keeping his left arm in place, the officer guided her injured hand over to set on top of it. A quick motion and the ice shattered, freeing her skirt under her. The whole sheet covering the ground splintered into several large pieces.

The young woman found her feet and stood after he was done. Fingers slipped behind her to check the damage. Katie's cheeks became a field of strawberries in color. The split went form the hem all the way up to the waist band. The small zipper was ripped completely. The only thing holding it was the band itself. The elastic held.

"So… It's cold and dark in here can you let us go? I'm in a bit of a rush", the brunette explained with her voice cracking at the end of her statement while she ignored the growing pain in her right hand.

The man had to admit, that wasn't something he wanted to hear. He saw her fingers, her expression and Kuzan was doing everything in his power to not look. "Sure, but it's going to be another long walk. I'm wet."

Katie understood exactly what that meant. Her brother was a devil fruit user as well. Not that she could volunteer that information but at least the young woman knew what to expect. "That's fine. I don't want to accidentally flash anyone anyways."

Aokiji used his heel to kick one of the walls down before causing another ice cave leading into the distance. The observant officer noticed she was also barefoot. Probably from the fall prior to the ice vault. Between her skirt and no shoes, the young brunette was not equipped to be walking over his ice. He had no choice, the curly haired marine thought.

Before the female could retaliate or argue, she found herself in Kuzan's arms. Her small frame nestled in a bridal carry position. His hues watched as her pink ivory skin turned deeper shades of red. The poor woman didn't even glance upward at him. He could feel the young woman's heart race while he adjusted. The warmth of the man's chest radiated through the damp fabric of his vest and shirt. The temptation to explore his chiseled chest was also rising in the back of her mind but with heavy restraint, Katie pushed it down.

The woman did, however, press her nose to his torso. She wanted to hide and die. His rich Fougere cologne was applied faintly. It was alluring and calmed her with every inhale and exhale. Instinctively tepid finger tips slipped up and rested on the back of his neck. The admiral shuddered and it wasn't from the chill. No good deed goes unpunished, he thought as his nose picked up light whiffs of her lavender perfume. The man's breath grew rigid.

"Don't get too comfortable… I'll drop you", Aokiji warned.

The young brunette nodded. Her injured right hand remained gingerly pressed against him, constrained between them. The building pain was a good distraction in the situation. The female's legs felt like they had been frozen to the bone while her knitted sweater did an excellent job retaining her body heat. Unfortunately those weren't enough. She wanted to touch him! Was this bad, Katie wondered. Was she some sort of pervert? The petite twenty-three year old had never been put in such a situation before! Ace and Luffy _**always**_ beat up any boys who got near and not to mention her grandfathers. Oh, if they saw her now, the little woman knew they would lose their minds. Grabbing for straws, she thought to simply spark up a conversation.

"I'm heavy you know… You don't have to do this", Katie muttered for only his ears to hear.

"You know that's one thing that always annoys me. Its little women like yourself who know you're not heavy, and yet protest as if you were. Stop it. You come up to my torso when you're in heels. What part of you thinks you're heavy", the admiral asked with his chest rumbling under her cheeks. It felt so nice, the brunette's ears began to turn a brighter red. She squirmed some.

"My chest", the female answered in rather a serious tone despite joking.

Kuzan wasn't ready for that answer. He nearly dropped her but clenched in time. "Next time I _will_ drop you for that", he glared.

"Ok-ok… I get it. I'm not heavy. Just embarrassed… I've never been carried like this by anyone. Grandpa Garp hauls me around over his shoulder and Sengoku lets me hang off his arms like a monkey."

The man chuckled. "You've never had a boyfriend, have you?" His orbs momentarily moved down to see Katie shake her head against his upper body. The movement tickled his flesh under the fabric. His large chest released a slow, controlled breath. Aokiji's lower regions had begun to stir. Between wet cloth sticking to every inch of the woman's body and the feel of her milky skin in the palms of his hands, the admiral's soul churned. This wasn't about love or even lust; it was solely about instinct. It was mentally tormenting. Regretting his action to gaze down at her, his copper orbs darted back to the frozen covered path.

"You have met both my grandpas, right?" Her question brought about a healthy laugh from him. It eased his mind to a degree. "So my turn to ask questions. Why did you do it? The ice box thing..."

The admiral smiled. "I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to test your strength after you challenged me. You did break my ice once, I wanted to see how far you'd be able to go", there was an apologetic tone in his mannerisms.

"You could have just asked, you jerk." Her snip wasn't malicious. To Kuzan, it sounded like she was teasing him instead. "I hate you", the young woman continued.

"Really? I can't say I blame you. I did convince you to come to work with me and that didn't end up as planned. I then proceeded to cause you to hurt yourself… Not my best track record when it comes to a babe such as yourself."

The officer's voice could melt ice, the young woman thought. It was easy to listen too. Katie found herself relaxing despite the bites of the cold wind against her legs. "That's not the reason", the female countered. "You're easy to talk to. I mean I just met you yesterday and yet it feels like I've known you for years. Plus, I've been on a mini-adventure so far. Honestly it reminds me of home. There are those back in my village that cause similar antics. I never once felt I couldn't go to them and we'd always end up in some sort of trouble depending on what side of the mountain we hunted on."

The relief Aokiji felt was breath taking. The brunette didn't despise him. Of course, he'd naturally take responsibility for the sullying of her reputation and for possibly breaking her hand, but it would only be logical if she carried ill will. Katie innocently didn't. She's too good for this place, the admiral thought. The officer swore he'd have to do better in watching over her in the future.


	18. Work At Being A Friend

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update, I am a bit busy this week and weekend.**

 **I just wanted to say thank you again for everyone that has subscribed. It really is nice to see. Your support means a lot. On that note I will be changing my updates from 4 or 6 in the afternoon to roughly midnight my time. I live in Sweden so it's UTC +1 or you can just look up Stockholm time zone if you're like me and horrible at time-zones.**

During their time together the two of them spoke on various subjects such as her goal of owning a café, his of enjoying a good nap, and she teasing him with a second dream of hers. He wanted to know but the vertically challenged woman swore she'd never tell. In the jovial mood, the marine threatened to drop her if she didn't and despite his best attempts he'd find her lips sealed.

Kuzan didn't press the issue any further. It was clear to him how important it was to the woman in his arms but the admiral had to admit he liked it. Far too many people were eager to tell him everything mundane. It meant they either had a lot of pride and wanted to garner his attention over their achievements or gloat to butter him up because of his position. The two of them weren't that close and to keep something so special meant that he'd have to work at being a friend before knowing everything about her. This also peaked his curiosity.

All along their walk, the young woman would find he had no ambitions in life until troublesome behavior led to him becoming a marine. He was at the age of nineteen when he and her grandfather Garp met and he was ushered into the navy by the old man. They also had discussed favorite foods, colors, and general experiences growing up over the bit of time it took. Unknowingly to Katie, Aokiji had taken his time. He rarely had the ability to speak so freely without it reflecting work. It felt he was able to catch his breath.

The long haired brunette on the other hand, never mentioned her brothers and only focused on tales of her grandpa Garp. In return the marine admitted to being a runaway kid who wanted to grow up and be cool. At one point the twenty-three year old worried about his arms getting tired just to have Kuzan openly laugh at the idea. The admiral appreciated the concern but assured there was no need. Instead he tucked her smaller frame closer to him to keep her warm.

As a result, the man could feel her heart hammering away. Shamefully, Aokiji conceded to himself that he also enjoyed the closeness. It did a bit to his ego as a man to cause a young woman to stir. He didn't think he was bad in the looks department but never really paid much attention since there weren't women flocking either. Secretly the officer wanted to enjoy the moment for a little longer.

With the two finally under the overhang in front of the residential complexes, he finally set Katie down on her bare feet. It felt odd not having his long arms or large hands around her anymore. It was like the time Luffy ripped the blanket off her while she was sleeping. The sensation of wanting it back so bad, one would punch their own brother for; which she did and instantly regretted it when Ace jumped in.

Katie turned around and blinked in his direction. "I'm going to guess Tashigi is inside. I don't see her out here", the young woman stated softly against the sounds of the devastating weather.

"I thought I told you to lock your doors", Kuzan scowled.

"Huh? I did. I just keep the key under the door mat on the step. I told her about it in grandpa's office", the petite female pointed behind her to the brown woven mat sitting on the step.

Aokiji lowered himself on his heels. "This place isn't like your home. You shouldn't be so lenient with your belongings", his deep voice rumbled with a gentle rebuke. The man pinched the bridge of his nose. "Besides I still don't have a clue about who was in your bedroom last night", the man sighed in defeat.

"If you're _that_ worried, why not come over for some actual soup? I haven't slept well at all and my hand is bummed; it's not like I couldn't use the help. Plus, Tashigi will be there so there's nothing to worry about. People can't even drag your reputation into it. I mean what are they going to say…", Katie paused to tap her lip with her left index finger. "Oh…, that admiral Aokiji was alone with not one but _two_ women who made him food…" The brunette gasped with a mocking staggered expression. "Such a horrible thing to be a high ranking official and get all the girls", she whined. "Unless you actually have a girlfriend… _Then_ you might want to avoid that", she further explained with a normal tone and a ginger smile.

The officer didn't know why he found that funny but his head whipped back and released a healthy burst of laughter. "I don't have a girlfriend and you make a pretty good case. Just concerned over earlier this morning", he paused to place a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take a shower and change. The soup better be good or I won't forgive you", the admiral added before standing and tucking his hand in his pocket to retrieve his key.

The two separated ways. Katie found the petty officer in her kitchen. The young woman with shoulder length hair gazed over to her with a wide expression. "You look awful! What happened", the swordsman shrieked before rushing to her charge's side.

The brunette let her head fall back and let out a deep groan. "Finally, _home_ …", she hummed before smiling. "Aokiji took my teasing as a direct challenge. This is a result of one very bruised pride, being frozen to the ground, and having too much faith in my haki. I knew I shouldn't have but I got too cocky and thought I could break his ice a second time", Katie answered. "I hit the frozen ground with everything I had. I couldn't even scratch it", the female continued frustrated.

The recoiled expression the marine made was obviously missed by the twenty-three year old. Her eyes weren't even directed at the other woman. "Oh! I smell tea", Katie spoke excitedly before glancing over. "I'm surprised how good that looks", she gazed at the steam rolling off the cup which was set on the blue counter separating the kitchen from the living room.

"Hm", Tashigi hummed before spotting what the other had seen. She gave a light sigh before chuckling. "Sorry! I, well… I wanted something to drink and saw the variety of boxes on the counter next to the sink." The petty officer revealed an apologetic glance as she pointed to the source.

"Oh, that's fine", Katie waved her hand. "It's cold and wet outside. Tea is the best on a day like this. Also, I just realized I can't take a hot shower", the brunette whined. "I have clams in my tub…", the female continued before she lowered herself to her knees and flopped forward. The young woman was now face down on the floor with her arms spread.

"That reminds me… Tashigi, isn't it?" Garp's granddaughter groaned without looking upward. She heard "hai" in return before rolling over on her back. "Aokiji is coming over to eat. Figured I would make some hot soup. Do you want some?"

The marine began chuckling before walking over to the young woman on the floor. Midnight hues glanced downward. "We should take care of your hand first", she tenderly reminded the brunette.

"Meh", Katie responded jokingly.

"I'm serious. The color is troubling. I can fetch a member of the medical staff from the residential office. It wouldn't take more than five minutes", the officer spoke as she adjusted her red rim glasses on her nose.

The brunette was impressed by the genuine kind tone of the raven-haired marine. She reminded the twenty-three year old of Makino. Small chuckles became vocal. "Sorry-sorry", she apologized between bubbles. "You remind me of my oni-chan", the female explained before glancing over and spotting black orbs narrowing at her with cheeks puffed in frustration. Katie lost it. Her clear laughter was accompanied by literal tears. "Haha! Oh, god stop! Stop! I'm going to die", she flailed.

"Well I don't find it so amusing", Tashigi announced seriously which seemed to have added to her charge's delight. The petty officer even balled up her fists and propped them on her hips. Katie couldn't help but begin rolling from side to side in her fit of laughter. In the granddaughter's mind, it was the equivalent to someone protesting to stop laughing while making hilarious faces. The brunette could feel the mood instantly lift.

Before the young marine could object, Katie was already on her feet and hugging her. Tashigi could only hug back but remained surprised. "I'll get it looked at if the swelling continues but… _only_ if it continues. It's probably just bruised."

The other woman groaned before caving. "You're awfully cold", Tashigi announced with her hands beginning to run up and down the slightly shorter woman's arms.

"That's why I wanted to take a shower but it's pointless now", Katie whimpered before moseying her way to her bedroom. "I'm going to change and take a nap", she called out. "Wake me up in ten minutes", the brunette added.

Unbeknownst to the two, everything had been heard by the man who was undressing in his bathroom. Kuzan didn't know if it was a curse or a blessing that every word, he could hear. He was relieved when Katie's laughter filled his bathroom but he was a little ashamed that it was him who caused her hand to be injured. He'd have to remind himself to go to the medic after his shower.

As the water cascaded down, the devil fruit user sat on the edge of his tub. It was a safe place to wash. He was mostly out of the stream but could easily put up with the weakening sensations rushing through every muscle when he rinsed. Sticking his head under wasn't too much of an issue if he could leave most of his upper body out. All he had to do was lean back to get out of the stream.

Kuzan stretched out his long legs before leaning back some. Fingers strummed the edge of the tub before a chill ran down his spine. Suddenly copper orbs widened. The thought of Katie being alone by herself in her room where the person had been spying on her much earlier this morning, had hit him. "Damn it", he hissed.

Quickly the man dried and dressed himself. It had merely been fifteen minutes and the admiral was walking through Katie's door. His hues only saw one young marine fixing some sort of soup which was quite appeasing to the senses but didn't see his little friend. The startled Tashigi played hot potato with the wooden spoon before the utensil and she hit the floor.

"Are you ok", Aokiji asked with a little bit of concern.

"Hai", she answered. The short woman rose to her feet and bowed quickly. After all, he was her superior officer.

"Where's Katie", the man inquired swiftly. The emotionless tone forced the raven haired woman to snap up her gaze.

"Yes sir", she firmly acknowledged with a salute. "She's taking a nap", the marine hastily responded. "I was told to wake her up but she's sleeping so deeply I couldn't. Well wouldn't. Her hand looks bad but that's not all sir", the female paused before swallowing hard.

Kuzan patiently waited for Tashigi to finish her report to him. Now that he could see the kitchen's display of food and items in use, her sword was among them. It perched close to her near the stove. Smoker's prodigy was ready for something.

"I don't know how to report this but I feel as if something's off. It's just a thought and maybe I'm getting this completely wrong but it feels strange. I can't shake the sense that someone is watching." Tashigi stopped after explaining what was on her mind.

Aokiji stood at his full height in the same relaxed gear as he wore earlier. A dark blue basic tank top with white 'marine' written on the front and dark grey open bottom work out pants. Tashigi observed the man brooding. The large marine crossed his arms and nodded. "Continue", he commanded.

"Hai", she clearly obeyed. "Just a few minutes ago I went in the back to wake Miss Laurel but it appeared she needed it. I decided to wake her after I had fixed the light snack she was wanting to prepare for us. As I was going to leave, I felt a draft and realized the window to her room was slightly cracked open. The sliding lock over the frame was pulled out. I closed it back down without thinking and pushed the lock back in place." Aokiji watched the female's brows furrow.

"Then as soon as I began the food, I started wondering if I had ever heard her open it. She was fairly cold to the touch and wanted a hot shower. It didn't make sense to me. Then I thought maybe she had left it open but why? I haven't felt or heard a draft since I arrived and with the wind outside, I would assume I would hear it. Another thing, why would it be opened if the front door was locked. It just felt out of place. I know we're taught to judge with what we know and with our own eyes but I can't shake the feeling something is just odd. I didn't think it was warrant for a report but I feel I needed to say something. I'll", she stopped when he cleared his throat.

"Don't worry about it. You told me which is enough. You're right for not waking her. From my knowledge, she hasn't slept since she got here", he slumped his head forward before putting his hands on his hips. "Man…, and here I just wanted to sleep and I just might." Kuzan scratched the back of his head. His indifference helped the petty officer relax. It was his goal. "I wouldn't bother telling anyone else either. So far from what I can tell she's just absent minded. Probably wanted to air out the sake aroma from the bathroom."

Aokiji sighed as he shoved his hands in his pockets and took long strides to Katie's bedroom. He ignored the bow and the smile casted as her shoulders lowered. In the back of his mind, the admiral was ready to freeze everyone and everything. He wasn't happy to hear the person from this morning was persistent. His only question, were they still in her **_room_**...?

 **PS. If you're wondering where I got the idea for Aokiji of being a runaway, I took his childhood art that Oda made. I know nothing of his childhood and thought it would be a nice touch that it was Garp who basically forced him to join after beating his ass. Think about it. A cocky nineteen year old challenging the old man and lost. Maybe he thought Garp was cool and wanted to follow the guy.**

 **The film Z kind of pushed me in that direction. Since in this story Zephyr is too young and Garp is well... Garp. Plus it implies that the older vice admiral worked close with the now Admiral and he did say in both the manga and the anime, Kuzan owes him. Changing your life style from being a punk to work hard and be an admiral is a good way of being indebted.**

 **Hope everyone has a great day!**


	19. Immodest Thoughts

***Warning* There is racy adult themes. Nothing too explicit yet.. YET... Key word. Will always give a heads up for suggestive, explicit, violent, gore like themes.**

Aokiji made his way into the other room. The man couldn't help but smile despite the anger blooming in his mind. "Why are you being targeted", he softly asked before sauntering to the side of her bed. The female was spread out over the mattress face down. Her long hair spilled over colorful fabric of a hand sewn quilt. Ivory flesh invited his copper orbs to gaze over her smaller frame.

The tiny woman was wearing dark green flannel pajamas, solid in color with no pattern. They seemed big for her size but the admiral admitted they appeared comfortable. Kuzan let out a sigh of air. The jealousy was nipping at the back of his mind slowly replaced bits of his anger. He really wanted to lay down and sleep as deep as Katie was. The temptation to lay next to her was eerily convincing.

The taller man sat on the edge of the bed with the springs screaming under his weight. Her small body shifted and turned her back to him. Dark bark colored hair spread out over the two white pillows like ribbons. Curiosity and attraction drew him in closer. Thick fingers with rough pads lifted a thin lock of hair. The silky texture induced a heavy inhale. Greedily Aokiji slipped the rest of his digits through her velvety strands. Thick locks glided over with ease, freeing his fingers. The sensations must have been pleasant, the officer thought as a delightful murmur hummed from her sleeping form.

The fascination took hold like a demon surfacing from the back of his mind. It not only reared its ugly head but like a puppeteer, took hold of his movements. Kuzan felt like someone else had taken over as he began to lean over her but as the man started to move, little Katie had shifted again to face him. Oceanic blue hues opened before supple dusty pink lips lazily turned up into a smile.

"Hey", she whispered. Soft, velvety fingers reached out and slipped up his bare arm; imprinting her touch into every curve and crevice of his muscle. Instantly the man's body wanted to explode. It felt too good. The supple brush upward before gentle stroke downward constrained him. His heart pounded rapidly in response. The slow movements invoked Kuzan to uncontrollably shudder. His lower parts became alive and if he were any lesser of a man, the admiral was sure she'd be calling his name intimately throughout the night. Even his breath baited as the brunette innocently tugged him over to her.

"You're shivering… Here", she lifted her blanket for him to crawl under. Kuzan caught himself following her lead. The petite brunette slipped back as he moved forward. He caught his body shifting but a jolt of reproach shot through his mind. With her listless expression, the admiral realized exactly where her mind frame was at that point. The moment jarred his senses, causing him to stop. Her half-opened idly gaze was cloudy from sleep. The brunette was just being sweet and offering a warm place to stay but the cold didn't faze him. She should have known that if circumstances were different. The marine gave the female the benefit of the doubt. She wasn't in the same mentality he was.

"If I do, we'll both get into trouble", the man whispered before clearing his throat. In return, the young woman casted a confused expression; making it harder to not think about the consequences if he did join her. He was trying his very best to be a gentleman. It had been roughly ten years since Aokiji had been with another person. The tall marine wanted to reach for her, to touch her, to explore her... He knew if he slipped next to Katie, the man would be clawing for the female's supple attention.

If Kuzan gave to temptation, there would be no going back. With his head slowly lowering in shame he went through the reasons in hopes to talk himself out of this dire situation. They had just met. The woman was half his age. The admiral bit the inner side of his cheek. That was a dangerous allure by itself. She wanted to be friends. He genuinely wanted to know more about her but damn it if it wasn't hard. Her grandparents would kill him. Oddly the officer didn't seem fazed by that. Which also disturbed him.

The marine grew frustrated. A better part of him knew not to engage but his legs weren't working. He couldn't find the strength to get up. Instead the internal battle was raging inside his chest. The man felt as if every muscle in his back was being racked over coals. It was utterly painful. Aokiji's bated breath grew ragged. It was hard to breathe.

To make matters worse in his mind, she was so trusting; it physically hurt Kuzan. Why couldn't she be a bit more reserved with her faith in people? He couldn't believe how easy it was to get so close to her. After all if he had ulterior motives, right now he'd play his hand. The admiral suddenly became frustrated at both the old men, who clearly, raised her. Katie didn't know him yet here the officer was about to seduce her while she was asleep. A feat he could bet wouldn't take much effort.

The admiral felt his insides burn as a strong pull caught his copper orbs. A boundless chasm exposed from underneath two unfastened buttons. The top part of the green fabric was laid open as the female had shifted to her back. A quiet snore escaped leaving her fully exposed to the man sitting next to her. Amidst his thoughts, Katie had fallen back to sleep. A testament to how tired she really was. It was almost ten in the morning yet it felt like near midnight with the dim light breaking through the window. A hiss of lust hit him. Thoughts clearly revealed the things he could do to the exposed flesh alone without undressing her. Aokiji had to swallow hard. His heart began trouncing even harder. The sound made it all the way to his ears.

The marine compared her to a strong drink like East Blue's Pinku no Sakura Sake or his favorite Jerez. Every naval officer to seaman knew it was simply bad news to drink either. They were expensive, smooth, gentle on the pallet, peasant on the smell but no one could stop at one sip. The strong alcoholic beverages lured men in and turned them into things they simply weren't. He wasn't the type to even think of touching a woman while she slept but now the brunette was within his grasp and his heart was pounding away. Kuzan could even feel his hands quake. The man hadn't been worked up this badly since his days as a vice-admiral.

Finally, the admiral found his strength and shifted to put his back to her. Uneven breaths left Aokiji light headed. He was left disoriented by what had just transpired. The officer came here to check to see if little Katie was alright and yet now found himself nearly needing her. This was completely unlike him. Scenarios and ideas began to surface but he'd not have the time to collect them before feeling the weight of fabric on his shoulders. Surprised, the man froze. The soft weight continued to drape itself over his shoulders and press against his back. The marine held his breath.

"I thought so", the woman mumbled with a sleepy lisp. She yawned before wrapping her arms over his shoulders. "You're sweating, shaking, and you smell odd. Like medicine." A cool hand pressed against his forehead before the marine officer could ask what his petite friend was doing. Kuzan had to admit, her smooth hand felt nice.

"Medicine", he questioned. The low rumble of his tone vibrated his chest. If he didn't know any better, the man would have guessed the brunette just purred.

"Yep. It's your clothes. It's really faint. I don't like it", she continued. "Much different from your cologne you had put on today. I bet whatever it is, you're reacting to it. You have all the symptoms except for a rash. Well maybe… I don't know. Honestly don't want to know if you have a rash on your butt or not."

A snort of laughter came forth before he wrapped his long arms behind him and scooped her up in a piggy back fashion. Katie gave a delightful whimper before clasping her arms around his neck loosely. The short wiggles and kicks, reminded the admiral of a kid. She seemed so happy to have him carry her. The sudden nuzzle to his neck nearly made him drop the brunette, though. His body reacted instantly in an indecent fashion. Aokiji was thankful his pants were baggy but it didn't make walking any easier.

"If I say something… Don't be mad", she whispered a hint in his ear. He could hear how tired she was with each syllable. Katie was making a strong effort to be understood. "The person watching me I think is a girl. If that's the case, I think you're the one being stalked. I smelled something familiar in my bedroom when I got home. It reminded me when I first met you. I thought it was your cologne but today it was subtly different. Then there's the small foot prints about on the floor and outside. I noticed them when I came over earlier this morning." The brunette paused to yawn before continuing. "I think your stalker also is a devil fruit user. It's just a hunch so I could be super wrong on this but food for thought."

Him being stalked? Nonsense. The admiral knew that could never be the case. He was out too much plus whoever heard of a man being pursued in such a manner. The brunette must be truly exhausted to think in such a way.


	20. Angela's Love

***Warning* Adult themes will apply.**

 **(Didn't get too explicit because they aren't the main characters but I did drop a few info bombs.)**

Back in East Blue, Angela tossed and turned in her sleep. Her body was rigid while she dreamt. The mother of Katie had woken in a pool of her own sweat. Gasps for air came forth as she had come to realize that she was still in her small four room cabin and not on Marineford.

The woman began reminiscing how her daughter and Garp had started out building on the wooden walls after fixing the roof. The little girl would correct the old man sternly while he laughed uncontrollably. There wasn't a place nor board they didn't labor over together. That was before the villagers felt sorry for her and sent a real carpenter to her rescue.

Oceanic blue hues blinked as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with a sniffle escaping. This nightmare was something the long-haired brunette relived often. After twenty-six years, she could still feel the bastard's hands on her body. The burn marks that he left in her flesh still tingled but in the end Angela knew she hurt him more than he had ever done to her. She left. Took what he believed was rightfully his and disappeared. It was only after she met Katie's father that she could really live again.

"You know, I'll never understand why you never spoke out against that man", she heard a familiar voice rumble through the simple home. Weakly the woman sat up and adjusted her light blue night shirt. The old single bed had rasped from the release of her light weight when she stood to her feet. These days she resembled that of a walking skeleton, the long haired brunette thought. The rare disease she had contracted during her escape of the Grandline had taken its toll.

Angela, a wispy image of herself, made her way down the hall to the eatery. The kitchen was lit dimly with lantern light filling the room. It was a simple design that allowed the tall man to move about in such a cramped space. It bore the necessities with all the decorations either hung on the walls or placed on the counters. To his discomfort there was a cold draft in the home but it was their's together. When Katie came into Garp's life, the woman had made that very clear.

The brunette's chest fluttered as her eyes began to sting with tears. Blue hues saw the tall athletic figure take off his hat and place it on the table. "Bogard", she cried out in happiness.

Holding her breath, the woman stumbled forward trying to rush to the commodore's side. Instead Angela was met with strong arms wrapping around her. Her body was carefully lifted. His thin scowling lips were met with soft velvety apertures. In the rush the marine kissed back. The blonde's lips parted with intent of invading the woman's crevice. His hot, moist tongue succeeded. The woman in his arms submitted to his overwhelming demands. Both their hearts raced with anticipation before breaking away.

"You've lost more weight", the commodore jostled her lightly. "You're almost out of medicine." His solemn tone revealed how much it hurt him to see her like this. The man's copper hues watched her pale face twist with concern.

The frail woman nodded. "I don't want to think about that right now", Angela answered faintly.

"Angie… We can get you medical treatment", Bogard began to argue as he carried her to the guest bedroom. It was the only room big enough for him to sleep in and there was no way he'd let her sleep alone. It was nearly midnight, a massive storm had rolled in, and the marine had been on his feet all day. The woman the blonde loved was in his arms with a bed nearby.

"If I seek treatment from the marines, it would only raise questions. I escaped that hell Sakazuki created. I won't go back", the brunette responded firmly. She sighed feeling a large, calloused hand slip up her spine under the fabric of her night shirt. "Besides the doctor I saw was the very finest. She had a mean disposition but it was a logical and honest one."

Bogard leaned in for another kiss. Feeling her next to him, was a thrill he simply couldn't get enough of. The tiny woman in his arms worried him a bit. If everything was to be true she wasn't going to last for more than six months. It painfully tore at him but he swore the first night they were together he'd be by her side. The marine never once went back on his word.

The man entered the room and laid the female down on the futon. It was reserved for him and him alone. A soft, comfortable place where the two could enjoy the sensations of each other's bodies. If the blonde really thought about it, and he had, Angie slept in the guest quarters and only came to bed when he could come by. Deep down he was thankful for the men in her life. The first had tossed her aside once Sakazuki laid his hands on her and the second was her deceased husband who taught her how to love again. The marine's little woman swore she only been with three men, including him, in her entire life. She was satisfied with that and he oddly found it comforting.

"I need to undress. When I come back… I'm not letting you up. I'm going to make you forget that bastard", the officer spoke in a low voice.

A heavy sigh escaped him once cool silky digits cupped his cheeks. "Let me help. I want to know what's new with you and my kids", she whispered.

The lopsided smile she wore caused his heart to skip a beat. He normally didn't return the facial expression but a corner of his lip turned up. "Alright", the man conceded as he lifted himself back to his feet.

Angela followed and helped slip off his double breasted grey blazer. She even untucked his greyish-green button up before he slipped off his brown tie. "Your clothes are damp. The weather really did a number on you", the woman commented with a bit of worry.

"Don't", the short-haired blonde man's copper orbs narrowed. "Don't you dare bother yourself over me when you should be taking better care of yourself." Bogard didn't want his words to come off harsh but they did. His immense hands cupped her cheeks. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to bark. It's been a really long day and I'm just tired." For a man who normally didn't speak unless spoken too, Angela had a way of getting him to talk.

Small mitts slipped over his own hands. Her smile was painfully obvious that she was doing it to not upset him. "I'm fine", the woman tried to soothe.

"Liar", the marine fired back. His lips slanted over her own. "Angela…", the man faintly whispered. His voice was almost inaudible compared to the storm beating away outside. Bogard dipped in and forced his appendage into the depths of her mouth. Tasting her was delightful. Fingers intertwined in the thick locks of her silky hair before an arm wrapped around her waist and lifted. The woman hummed in ecstasy while his body felt as if it were lit on fire. She let her own hands explore the cut edges of his muscle and under soft fabric that made the marine. He was a swordsman and Garp's right hand man. It was through the old geezer the two met and Bogard never regretted it.

The much taller officer set Angela on top of the dresser before trembling fingers worked quickly on the buttons of his shirt. A hiss of pleasure worked its way from his throat as the heated cloth was discarded onto the floor. Copper orbs watched as her fingers moved lower. His stomach trembled as her feathery touches brushed just below his navel.

The officer observed the brunette make short work of his leather belt and pants. The marine stepped out of them before letting go of her locks of hair. Pressing his chiseled body to her frail frame, the commodore managed to get the woman to lay back some. The wall behind her shoulders would only allow her to go back so far. Thick hands gripped her knees and forcefully spread them to make room. Bogard stepped boldly between her thighs; his raging hood ached to be free of confines of his black cotton boxers.

"Angie… I love you. It's ok to tell me no…", he softly spoke with his fingers slipping under her nightshirt to find her lacy underwear barely clinging to her form. Roughness of the pads gingerly scraped over silken flesh. The taller gentleman thumbed over her hip on each side. The instinctual bucking of her own body encouraged him to continue.

"Bogard… I love you too. I'm fine…", she hummed. "It's just a little loss of weight. Nothing we can do about it", the brunette with long straight hair of bark and chocolate hues added to try and comfort him.

"That's not my concern. You know I'll be gentle and slow but I want to make sure", the blonde added. He ignored his golden locks falling forward framing around the corners of his copper eyes.

"You heard I was having a nightmare", she stated in almost a question. Her blue orbs watched him nod.

"I said I'll make you forget him", the marine retorted. Bogard treasured her and respected the fact that she was still haunted by what his commanding officer did to her twenty-six years prior.

"After tonight, just don't forget to tell me how my kids are doing." Her smile was met with him lifting her delicate form from the dresser and carrying her over to the futon that had been decorated in various quilts. Their eye contact never broke as the man lowered her down. Fingers tugged and pulled the powder blue nightshirt over her head before his thick hands made short work of her matching underwear.

Bogard hungrily consumed her after spotting her vulnerable thin body under him. To feel and touch her pulled the man into depths he never thought possible until the officer met her. The rest of the night were filled with Angela's lustful cries being drowned out by the roaring wind and raging sea.

If his little woman hadn't been ill with some rare disease or been so thin, he would have already left a child in her womb. Not many women knew what it took to be with a marine. The long stints away from home accompanied by few letters back and forth. That didn't help with the questions and worries from both the one in waiting and the marine at sea.

To top it off, he was a serious man with the responsibility to assist Garp and his extreme ways of doing things. Angela knew what it took with a level head. She had a kind heart and an alluring smile. Being with her meant he could relax and that's what he had planned to do all night.


	21. Good Morning Pt 1

**Sorry! I did warn you guys I was busy. I am going to upload this chapter and quickly polish up the next chapter. I had to split this one in half. It was pretty big. Essentially, you get two chapters in one day. First part now. Second one at midnight.**

 **Again, thanks for all the support. It really means a lot.**

It had been two weeks since Katie's arrival to Marineford. The little woman had been busy. Once the storm had lifted she acquired the necessary paperwork to begin demolition of the shop. Tashigi had been impressed with her hard-working ethics as well as the training routine the young brunette had implemented. The petty officer even participated with Smoker's approval. The captain was relieved to see his subordinate take her duty seriously.

In the cool mornings, Katie would wake at four-thirty in the morning just to run down to the open beach on the other side of the island. She'd workout using their pull up bars and sand dunes to turtle crawl up after doing one armed pushups. The run was the killer for the marine accompanying her but the two managed. When the women were done, the brunette allow the female swordsman to take a shower first while starting coffee. By six Aokiji would let himself in, steal a cup of coffee, and proceed to eat breakfast with the duo.

During the day, it was hot and long but satisfying. The long-haired female would begin tearing down large chunks of debris from the rotting structure. Even found a nest of hornets that chased her through the streets while Tashigi watched from a distance. After hauling bin after bin of rotted wood and broken glass, Katie would come home to a sleeping Kuzan on her couch. The admiral made this his daily routine as well. The days he worked, the man would simply let himself in and take a long nap. The marine had no shame. In his blue and white clad uniform with a green sleep mask over his eyes, he'd reside in her home as if it were his own. Sometimes the curly haired officer would lift his mask and greet her and other days he'd sleep until dinner was done.

One afternoon, Tashigi was called away and it was just Katie alone. He was in a heavy slumber with his arms resting over his chest. His ankles crossed at the end where his knees hung over the arm. Gingerly the female had laid a thin blue blanket over him. It was immensely small compared to his size, she felt it didn't do the man justice but that's all she had. The brunette had spun away to take a shower.

The female tried to take a step from him until a long arm came out and hooked around her waist, pulling her back. Katie felt her body effortlessly hoisted upward and set on his stomach. To the young woman's surprise, a free hand raised the mask before the marine sat up. He folded the arm behind his head and lazily laid the arm that had lifted her, over her legs. The brunette's protests were ignored while the admiral had asked her about her day. Since then, when the marine was alone with the petite female, Kuzan would reach for her. He'd often drape his limbs over her legs or shoulders, while being close. The tall man asked important questions about her day and if she needed him for anything. Unexpectedly to the officer, she didn't. His friend, in turn, would change it up and wonder how his day went instead.

In the evenings, if Sengoku had time, would drop by. Aokiji never once heard that man laugh so much over the years. It was as if he were another person entirely when the fleet-admiral was around Katie. Many times the vertically challenged female hung off his arms to do pull ups. Other times she gave hugs or climbed on his shoulders like a monkey. They spoke about mundane things over the dinner table while the admiral sat around and enjoyed the company. It really felt pleasant; like a family even with Tashigi there.

The older man treated the petty officer not as a subordinate but more as a friend to his granddaughter. The marine often asked how her progress in training was coming along or how the other units were treating her. He listened closely to her answers and offered advice. Oddly the high ranking officer never once spoke about work.

Over the course of good days and great times, Katie never once forgot about her grandpa Garp. She really wanted to see him. He was one of two reasons she wanted to come to Marineford. Sengoku was special to her and she loved the man just as equally as the vice-admiral but having him missing made the place feel empty. The brunette had **_so much_** to tell him. Everything from making new friends with the flower shop owner across from her café, to meeting Zephyr's wife, and forming the unofficial little woman squad.

The next morning was left with not much for the brunette to do. Garp's granddaughter had an inspection scheduled to have the plot looked at. It was essential before she could search for the necessary people to build the café the way she wanted it. Katie knew she wasn't good with carpentry despite her grandpa's claims. The twenty-three year old wanted a professional job done. The female had a budget and was going to adhere to it to see her dream accomplished but the little woman didn't take in account of all the hoops she had to jump through.

The semi-bored Katie came up with a nice idea and had asked Tashigi about it the day prior. The petty officer confirmed that the women behind the greeting desk would often be taken for granted. Many of the officers didn't even acknowledge their existence and often walked right by them. That morning was going to change, the brunette determined.

At seven in the morning as officers began sauntering in with a sluggish step, the long-haired brunette appeared in a fit and flare sundress. It was lavender in color with wide shoulder straps and a v-neckline that allowed some her womanly assets to be revealed. The little woman had a large thick black ribbon tied around the waist line to give her form more figure. A tasteful black sheer scarf wrapped around her thin neck and tied in a bow off to the side. To top off her look, a large black sun hat with a wide brim sat on top of her head. It suited a large matching lavender ribbon that was pulled back in a large bow on the side.

Behind the extensive ' _ **U**_ ' shaped cherry wood desk, stood three women. A blonde, brunette, and a red head, just like those awful jokes. All three wore matching staff uniforms. It was the typical tight black skirt that reached above the knee with a white blouse under a black vest. They lacked name tags but it was a greeting desk. Names weren't all that important.

Their eyes widened and sparkled as Katie approached with her arms filled with coffee cans. Tashigi, in a red and yellow floral blouse with dark blue capris, carried boxes of pastries they made the night prior. "This is for you. As a thank you, of course." The two women bowed to the three who stood behind the large booth. With excitement, the blonde covered her mouth while the red head waved the two to come behind the counter. The employee opened the door to the break room which was merely a meter away. It was clear the set up was a multi-facilitated space. Most importantly the counter that ran along the small area had a coffee pot. Katie went to work. Before anyone could have had a chance to complain, the aroma of coffee and vanilla filled the entire greeting area.

"I can't believe it", the blonde squealed happily. "Vice-admiral Garp's granddaughter is giving us coffee and sweets", she continued in an excited upbeat tone. It was obvious to Katie, this extension of acknowledgement had made their day.

"It's nice to have someone say thank you", the brunette employee interjected as she adjusted her thick bun.

"Often it feels like everyone just ignores us because we're not marines. Kind of like three decorations to stand around and smile", the red head with a bob cut added in a slighted tone.

Tashigi understood very well where the three were coming from. In many ways she could relate as a female swordsman. Her heart went out to the women. It made her a little happy to be a part of her friend's scheme.

As soon as the smell of Katie's coffee touched the noses of every marine walking by, they began to stop and take notice. Some of the men were even approaching the counter to ask how the three young women were doing. With polite bows, they said their "good mornings" and in return became the subject of flirting. Some greetings were light in nature while others thought it was ok to try and reach over the large desk. The female swordsman had to act as a barrier and going as far as to remind some captains that touching was not permitted. She earned sneers but nothing more until a mousy looking man approached.

By his long white coat and blue shoulder pads with golden fringes, it was clear the man with the whiskers was a captain. His angular face supported a rat like appearance more than a mouse. His white hood over his hat reinforced the idea he was a sort of a rat-man with animal ears perched on top.

Katie had stepped out of the back room with five cups of coffee on a round tray. One for each of the three hosts, Tashigi, and herself. Arrogantly the rat-man of a captain reached over the top and snatched one of the white mugs. A round of "hey" came from each of the women simultaneously.

"Chi chi chi chi", the captain laughed before sipping the hot drink. "Oh… now that's delicious", he smiled devilishly. "You ladies finally figured out how to earn your wages", the marine taunted.

The three hosts appeared pale as they bowed at the waist to greet him. Frowns laced their expression. Tashigi narrowed her gaze behind red rimmed glasses. Nothing disgusted her more than an officer flaunting his rank to steal from others. It was disgraceful.

"Oh… You should be careful giving me that look, little girl. I might take that as insubordination", he threatened the petty officer with a wide disgusting smile.

Katie smelled something familiar and quickly jumped into action. Her arms spread to block the officer's view of Tashigi briefly. Much like a human would do as a shield against a threat. The brunette's behavior was abrupt before she too bowed at the waist. "My deepest apologies…"

"That's more like it", the captain interrupted the smaller woman.

Garp's granddaughter continued as if she never heard the marine standing before her. "I should have done a better job in protecting your coffee… Smoker-sensei." It was a lie but Katie wasn't above devious tactics to punish those that seemed out of reach. Not a habit she was into nor would she advise anyone else to do but it was her way of doling out her own justice.

Tashigi blinked to see one looming Smoker appear behind the other captain. His face was shadowed over except for his two cigars smoldering in the light. The man could be compared to the reaper himself. His blue and white coat with green fur was left open with his jitte strapped to the back. Katie had taken note that even his goggles around his muscular neck seemed eerie. A brown leather gloved hand jetted out with lightning speed and grasped the top of the head of the other captain. Everyone heard the knuckles crack as a death grip engaged.

"Nezumi…", Smoker growled. "Stealing a man's coffee before the day even starts…?! Huh?! You got some damn nerve drinking my coffee", he snapped. The loud gruff tenor of the white-haired marine's voice traveled loudly through the entry of the large building. "Not only that, threaten _my_ petty officer! _You have a death wish_ ", the White Hunter hissed.

The other captain flailed and began screaming like a woman. Tears flowed like two water fountains had been turned on. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry", he wailed. "Please don't kill me", the rat-man begged before being dragged off painfully by his head.

"Yo… I'll take care of the trash. Just get another cup ready for me", he ordered in a considerably benign tone towards the women from his standing position in front of the large entry doors. All the women thankfully bowed at the waist as he walked off unhurried with Nezumi being towed away effortlessly.


	22. Good Morning Pt 2 (Priceless Treasure)

**Part 2 as promised. Again, super sorry you guys waited two days for an update.**

"You know… Lying isn't very nice", Katie heard to her left. The familiar voice of Kuzan made the young woman's heart stop. The female startled, giving a loud yelp as her eyes and body turned towards him. Her distraction helped the admiral land his knuckle on the top of her head. Pain shot down the brunette's spine, placing her on her knees. "Ouch! Jerk", she accused. Both hands covered the top of her head as the twenty-three year old arched her back. Tears stung her blue orbs as Garp's granddaughter bit her lower lip.

Lazily Kuzan sauntered around the front and laid his jacket over the desk top. "Can one of you beautiful babes get me a cup of coffee", he asked politely before resting his entire chin in the palm of his hand. His arm supporting his weight as the marine watched Katie slowly stand to her feet and gently massage the large knot on the top of her head. The man with midnight hair couldn't help but give a half smile. His sharp eyes softened. Even upset, the brunette was charming.

"Here", he heard Tashigi say while sliding the large white cup in front of him. This forced the man to lift himself. A polite thank you was given to the younger marine and she saluted in kind before joining the three women who began sipping their coffee with joy. The admiral watched Katie's face grow serious. Her shoulders shuddered slightly before the young woman leaned forward. This left the officer in confusion.

"Um… I'm going to confess something right now. I don't hate the man or really dislike him but he makes me feel _uncomfortable_. Mind staying for a little? I'll throw in a strawberry cream doughnut I made with Tashigi last night." Her voice was low and nearly cracking. This had been the very first time Katie had ever asked anything of Aokiji. She expected him to say no since his day had just begun and probably had a bit of work to do.

"Alright", he spoke clearly. Kuzan wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to help out a friend. Especially since he knew that the brunette was someone to never reach out unless it was important. A large mitt slipped over her own. She was trembling which drew in the ranking official's concern. The officer's stomach turned when he saw that disgusting false smile of hers. Many may have seen it delightful but to the admiral who had seen her true expression, this one was utterly repugnant.

The source of her uneasiness came into picture. Bogard had stood next to the admiral after giving him a salute. The eyes under the fedora shifted to Katie who withdrew her hand and bowed graciously to the commodore. There was a long moment of silence between them before Aokiji watched the naval officer swallow hard. From inside his breast pocket of his grey suit, the marine produced two white envelopes. One was plain and white for letters, the other was clearly an invitation from the decorative markers over it.

"How's mom", the brunette asked with her head still lowered. The female's hands were folded neatly in front. It was the picture-perfect greeting one would usually give to the upper echelon. This was completely formal which Aokiji could remember she did the same when he first met her, but since then Katie has loosened up a bit. He would expect her to act differently towards her grandfather's right hand man.

The question caused the blonde to flinch back. He cleared his throat before the little woman continued. "I can smell her perfume on your tie. She helped you put it on. I've known about you two for some time now. I'm comfortable enough to ask that much", the brunette held her head low. She wouldn't even gaze up to look at the swordsman.

"She's fine. Worried over you two. The first is a letter from her. The second envelope is an official invitation to your brother's promotion. He sent it to your mother but you know she's too ill to travel", he impassively spoke.

"If he wanted me there, he would have sent me an invite", she retorted in a toneless manner.

Bogard cleared his throat once again before adjusting his hat. "I have reports to make and you should be happy to hear, your grandfather is on his way." The officer's tone insinuated that he wasn't comfortable chatting with Katie. Aokiji had never seen the young woman speak so officially to anyone before. Not even to the admirals themselves. Her tone was usually warm with kind things to say. This conversation was dry, short, and distant.

"Thank you", the brunette conveyed. The naval commodore gave a slight nod before stepping away. Katie stood before taking in a ragged breath. "Bogard… Would you like a cup of coffee", she asked before making light guttural noises. The young woman was clearly nervous.

The man paused. "Another time perhaps", he answered as he tipped his hat and disappeared among the staff arriving.

"Same answer every time", she pointed out before rubbing the top of the admiral's hand while her eyes followed the marine who just departed. Aokiji couldn't help but enjoy the texture of her soft digits. He just didn't care for the trembling. Both of his large hands clasped over her own and kept her in place until he could feel the young woman's pulse slow. The man took a long sip of his coffee before letting the petite female go. He watched her disappear behind the door only to return with the treat in her hand.

"Oh my", he chuckled. "That looks and smells good", the man added before taking the plate it was placed on. "Don't cause too much trouble. I have to get to work", the officer hissed with a wrinkled nose. With a cup of coffee and a doughnut, he was set to tackle a day of napping. The young women waved him off, just to add to his ego. In the background, lower ranking guardsmen could be heard that they'd do anything to at least become a vice-admiral. They would love to have such hot women to wish them a good day.

Tashigi asked Katie if she was alright. With a smile and a hug, she let the petty officer know that she was fine. Smoker had returned and was treated well. Enough to call the women idiots for thanking him in the first place. It was something he planned on anyways. The white-haired hunter also gave a good thump on top of the brunette's head for not telling a good enough lie. The captain did, however, finally thank the twenty-three year old for giving him the excuse he needed to teach the weasel a lesson. The officer wished them a good day before departing to his own endeavor.

Twenty minutes ticked by quickly. The seemingly slow morning picked up into a full rush. This time the women were overwhelmed. Marines of nearly every rank and stature came to the counter with hearts in their eyes. Katie had never been asked so many personal questions before. Female marines were no exception either. Tashigi and her quickly apologized to the three greeters who were also distressed.

"Where are you from", the brunette would hear. She couldn't even answer before another question popped up regarding her living situation. "Where are you staying", added someone else. The female could feel the life drain from her. Katie kept her head lowered as she remained polite. She really didn't want to make either of her grandfathers appear abhorrent because of her actions.

Making matters worse, the granddaughter had to cover her own nose and mouth just to breathe. The perfumed cologne didn't mix well with the overpowered scent of cigars and cigarettes. Katie began feeling sick to her stomach. She cursed for being born with a strong sense of smell. Tashigi had to place a hand on her shoulder to help. "Maybe we should go", the raven-haired marine offered but couldn't figure out how to get through the line of people herself.

The cracking of knuckles seemed to settle down the louder voices as a giant, looming, shadowed figure appeared behind the large group of marines. From all the way at the top of the colossal character, eyes shimmered like diamonds. A dark intimidating scowl formed as clenched teeth bared. Slowly heads turned to face the man behind them. Blue hues of fear formed over their eyes before many started screaming and running. A large fist came down blowing a hole through the wooden floor where most had stood.

"You brats think you're trained enough to approach my granddaughter or her friends?! Huh?! Come here! Let me show you how a _real_ marine handles things! I'll work your hides over until you feel like you're back in basic", Garp bellowed out before giving chase. Easily the vice-admiral caught up with many and handed out his own version of training. Bodies flew and many were sent screaming through walls. In a blink of an eye, only murmurs and pain filled groans were left; many broken fixtures and torn paintings littered about. Evidence of the pure madness that had been exhibited.

"Katie", Garp returned with his arms wide open. Like a piece of paper hitting a pole in high winds, the smaller female had wrapped herself around the vice-admiral's upper body in a mere flash. The tight hug had the man laughing hysterically and hugging back. It was very clear to any bystander just how happy the brunette in his arms made him.

Kuzan, who had come down the check on the noise, saw how truly brilliant her smile could be. Katie was breath taking. It really made him swallow hard. The man couldn't understand why he wanted to see her smile like that so badly. The admiral was at a loss as copper visions watched Garp plop on his rump on the floor before crossing his legs. It didn't matter where he was as long as he had his granddaughter in his arms. The high-ranking official leaned on the wooden stairway banister. His eyes watched as his friend practically disappeared in the hero's grip.

The man in white clad wearing his trademark blue button up gazed about briefly. Bodies unconsciously laid half way through walls. Punch holes peppered the large entry. Windows were busted as well as furniture. Aokiji spotted sword slashes where a few tried to fight back. A mistake he had made himself in the past. It was frightening to think a man his age could easily clean out a greeting hall full of highly trained marines, in a blink of an eye. There were roughly fifteen bodies that he could count and that's not including the ones that got away.

Katie was dangerous but not by herself. She was like the priceless treasure every man would love to get their hands on. It would be easy to get distracted enough to not see the looming dangers in the dark. Between Garp and Sengoku, the admiral wondered how the marines were going to survive. Worst yet, how was he? Kuzan didn't like it but if he were going to be honest with himself, every day it was harder and harder to take his eyes off that priceless treasure.


	23. Crossroads

**Thanks for all the support! It's very appreciated!**

 **I would like to note, this is kind of a filler/bridge chapter. It's a necessary little thing because of the subtle hint of what's going to happen later. That's why it's smaller than most of the other chapters. If anyone catches it write it down and tell me what you think. :)**

Later that evening Katie finally found a moment of peace. On her table were two items she had been itching to read. First one was the letter from her mother. It made her insides churn not knowing what the parchment said and the second was a gift from R. The wrote to each other frequently and in secret but there was quite a gap in personality. He was purely focused on the marines while she was the opposite.

For the first time in two weeks her home had been quiet. It was rather unpleasant but also necessary. The brunette assumed Kuzan wasn't going to visit since her grandfather sent most everyone flying through walls and threatened anyone who got close. The ticking of the wall clock filled the open area as she sat at the kitchen table. With every click of the hand caused her brow to twitch. Katie took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Using a butter knife, the little woman opened the first letter with shaky fingers. Anticipation rocked Angela's daughter to the core. The sound of rustling stiff paper filled her ears as the aroma of her mother's perfume touched the brunette's nose.

 _Hey Sweetie!_

 _I'm writing to you because I wanted to say you're on my mind. You're my precious little girl after all. I miss you but at the same time, I'm proud. You found the courage I could never muster. You're chasing your dreams and with a bit of determination, I know you'll see them through._

 _Oh listen to me, I'm rattling off about myself. I'm sorry sweetheart. You probably want to hear how everyone is doing. Well let's start with your brothers. Luffy ate all of Edgar's watermelons and then proceeded to spit all the seeds out like a gun. Ace has been coming over and asking if I need any help before going further into the jungle. He asks nearly every day if I've heard from you. The boys say hurry up and write. I think deep down Ace really worries for your sake. A sign of a good man, if you ask me._

 _Your auntie also says don't tell her anything. She doesn't want to know. One less brat to feed is good enough for her; so can you send her a picture for me? You know she's never really been honest about these sort of things. Makino also asks about you. You're like a little sister to her. I think its safe to say the whole village is turned on its ear. Everyone wants to make sure you're ok and that nothing's happened, myself included._

 _I also sent R's invitation. I hope you go. He is your older brother after all! You two may have had different biological fathers but you two were raised by the same man, at least in the beginning. I understand he was ushered away when you were young but that left him by himself as well. Please, if anything in this world don't let my mistakes cut you off from your own ties._

 _Anyways, I'm fine. I know you're going to worry so don't. I have one last favor before I end this letter. I suspect you and Bogard didn't talk. You two always seem to avoid it. Speak to him. Forgive him at least. There is no excuse for what he said but his actions speak louder. He did an incredible job raising your brother trying to right a wrong he did all those years ago. I hope you can see that and open up, at least a little._

 _Love you,_

 _Your crazy mommy._

"Uuggg", the young woman groaned. " _Mom_ …", the female bemoaned. "I already forgave him. I just don't know how to talk to him. He's super scary! _Blah_! _Blah I say_!" Katie flopped the paper down on the table and flailed about like a child throwing a tantrum in her large wooden chair. Emotions of nearly every kind simmered and wavered. Tears began to well up in her blue visions. "What a sucky way to end the day", the brunette pouted as she wiped her eyes dry.

Suddenly the front door swung open. Katie startled and ended up falling backward with her chair. "Ah", she yelled out before standing with cat like reflexes. Heat rushed to her cheeks as embarrassment washed over her. Through the entryway, Kuzan let himself in. The man raised a brow before closing the door behind him. As quickly as he turned around his orbs fell on a woman who had swiftly twisted her back to the tall fellow.

"I'll be right back", Katie spouted through a cupped hand over her nose and mouth. The admiral had blinked and tried to think back if she perhaps injured herself. He was left utterly confused and decided to follow out of curiosity after slipping off his black running shoes.

In the bathroom, the young woman had placed a soft green wash cloth under her nose. The blood from her snout pooled into the fabric. Her mind was a mess. Aokiji had worn his typical athletic clothes to relax in. This time the man had donned black open bottom track pants with a dark grey round neck t-shirt. The shirt itself was loose around the torso with tighter sleeves due to his vigorous form. It complimented the officer in ways she didn't think clothes could. As soon as Katie saw him her mind went straight to his strong arms and defined abs; which one could clearly make out from under the clothing.

"You ok", she heard a heavy voice ask. Katie startled once more, nearly dropping her rag. The brunette felt the touch of a firm hand grab the towel while the other placed on the back of her head. **_Why did his hands have to be so nice_** , she screamed in her own thoughts. I'm going to die, the female conceded. Her body went limp in response. Whimpers touched the admiral's ears.

"Embarrassed", Kuzan asked with a slight smirk. She was fun to pick on. It was no laughing matter because her nose randomly bled. It did make him worry but it was rather entertaining to watch and feel her become flustered. Plus, it gave the officer the opportunity to feel just how soft her hair really was. Katie was still in her attire from earlier but her hair was free of its pony tail and hat. Thick fingers sifted through the loose strands, tickling the webbing between them. The marine had to swallow hard.

"I'm ok", her voice muffled through the fabric. Small mitts lifted and stroked the back of his hand which held the cloth to her sniffer. Kuzan forced down a shiver before removing his grip from the rag.

"You're pale but you look fine." His other hand lifted taking its warmth with it.

"Thanks", Katie added as her blue visions dropped nervously. "So yeah…, I'm sorry but I don't really feel like cooking tonight. I just read my mom's letter and I'm kind of in a weird mood." The young woman shrugged. She honestly didn't want to indulge on that strange feeling since the source of it was standing right in front of her!

"That's fine. I was going to ask if you wanted to go out and eat at a little place I know. It's not fancy but it's serves a variety of food." He watched her pale cheeks return to their normal color when stars found their way into her eyes.

"Is there meat", the brunette asked with no hesitation. The admiral had to let out a roar of laughter at the sight. The woman had completely done a one-eighty.

"Yeah. I wouldn't go there if there wasn't", Kuzan assured with soften features. His hands cupped her cheeks. He wanted to make sure she was truly alright.

Katie's hands slipped over his own and thumbed his knuckles. The gesture drew the man in closer. Shimmering blue hues disappeared as a brilliant smile formed over her lips. "I'm fine", she chimed.

The officer found his breath had left him. His heart started to race. Painfully it hammered in his chest. Aokiji wanted to simply taste her in that very moment. His fingers twitched, the admiral pulled away like someone had stabbed him. If he didn't, the man knew he was going to do something he might end up regretting.

"Just wash your face. I'll wait on the couch", he turned just as the curly-haired officer crashed his raised knuckle on the top of her head. "I warned you about not locking your door", the man had reprimanded. He ignored her childish name calling and flails.

Aokiji could breathe again. Katie had jarred his nerves with that beautiful smile of hers. It was a surprise that most likely would have costed him his friendship if he hadn't done something. Teasing her seemed to be the best course of action at the moment.

Despite thinking the brunette probably wasn't into men twice her age, Kuzan couldn't walk away and leave her alone either. He felt trapped. His deepest desires were starting to take a hold of him. The man feared where this road was leading to but he wouldn't be satisfied if he went his own way. The admiral wasn't content with things being like this either. The officer knew he'd have to make a decision soon.


	24. Dinner Thieves

**Ello! Hope everyone is having a good day. Some news both good and bad.**

 **I have been called in for work this weekend and will be getting off Wednesday. This means no regular updates during that time. I work 12 hours a day, sorry when I'm off I just want to sleep. The good news is that I can earn enough to pay my bills and continue writing when I'm off. I have a few chapters saved up. I'll probably release those this weekend and on my last day of work so you guys don't have to wait.**

The warm summer day was winding down. The heat of the sun was slowly disappearing as cooler night air began to blow in. Aokiji walked side by side with Katie. His hands tucked into his pockets. The pace they took was unhurried. The two had been quiet since they left the residential complexes. The brunette enjoyed the silence. This wasn't the unnerving quietness she had experienced at her house but the peaceful presence the young woman could unwind with. All that was missing among the ambient sounds of the ocean in the distance was a good book and some chocolate candy.

The little female paced herself next to the much taller man. She had folded her hands behind her back, a habit the brunette didn't even realize she had. "Oh my, Garp really must have worked you over", Kuzan chuckled. "You walk like a marine at ease", he continued as they strolled down dead-end district.

"Oh", she questioned with a little bit of confusion. "Well that's not from grandpa Garp, I guess. It's probably something I picked up from when I tried joining the marines", the young woman volunteered.

"For real", Kuzan asked in dismay. His brows furrowed. "Oh my… Now I have a lot of questions", he spoke in a subjugated tone. "I don't even know where to begin", the marine added before stopping in front of a small restaurant. The square building lacked its luster but the large window revealed something pleasant inside. A few empty tables about but through the stained tiles and aged counters, the hospitality was on full display as the cook waved at them with a wide smile. Katie couldn't help but wave back with a grin of her own.

"Come on", he sighed. The young brunette followed closely and contained a snicker as the unusually tall man had to duck through the door. Inside Kuzan could reach his full height but it was painfully obvious the problems a towering man would have unlike herself. Fitting wasn't an issue for her. It was the reaching.

Heated spices touched her senses causing the female to squeal. "Oh this place smells great", she added to the cooks delight. Kuzan set his hand on the top of her head out of playfulness. A charming smirk touched his lips as her cheeks flushed with color. She wasn't embarrassed, it was the scarlet hue of happiness. This time the admiral was ready for the smile she had revealed. For some reason, that expression of hers still made his heart flutter.

The admiral led them to a large round table in front of the window. Katie discovered the place he had taken her was a yakiniku type of restaurant. The table had a charcoal grill inside the center. Her blue visions sparkled. "I always wanted to go to a place like this", she peeped with pure joy. "I heard from grandpa about restaurants just like the one we're in", the female proceeded to bounce on her toes before taking her seat.

"Oh, that's right. You come from a small village on Dawn Island", Kuzan stated.

"Yep. My mom and I own a small cabin on the coast line. It's not far from the actual village but it is closer to Mount Colubo. I have an auntie who takes care of my two adopted brothers up there. Grandpa Garp came up whenever he could and trained us too. To be honest, it was rough but fun. The mountain is host to a lot of large creatures and flora. We often foraged for ourselves. I don't like hurting people but I can hunt an animal. You can say it's where I grew my love for meat", she explained with a laugh.

The admiral shook his head but smiled. "Sounds pretty rough, if you ask me." He yawned only to sit up on his stool to wake himself. The large standalone table was the only piece tall enough to comfortably fit the towering marine. The black leather seats accommodated him well but also caused him to become sleepy. "Oh sorry", the man covered his mouth as he tried to stifle another.

Katie turned her head and gave a healthy laugh. "No need", she waved off. "Grandpa is known for falling asleep in the middle of a fight. I completely understand", she consoled. "Plus, you worked today; I can only imagine how tired you are. That's why I was a little taken back that you wanted to go out."

If he were honest with himself, he tried _**not**_ to visit her. Aokiji wanted nothing more than to give her a little space and sleep off the strange feeling he had been carrying around since earlier that morning. Unfortunately, the more the marine fought the sensation the stronger it got. The admiral caved and actually felt relieved once he saw her, to his surprise.

"It's alright. I wanted to pay you back for the tuna you caught two weeks ago. Work has just been in the way but since I have a three-day weekend I can do at least this much. It won't cover the…"

"Stop", the shorter brunette demanded. "I caught that and it didn't cost me a thing. If you want to pay me back that's fine. Do it for the cost of the coffee or the ingredients that I used cooking your meals. I don't see a problem with that but if I can catch it, cook it, and eat it then don't worry."

The man wanted to argue but her reasoning was solid. She was right. The fish technically didn't cost her anything but if someone found a diamond, polished it, and gave it away; people would expect to pay something in return. The admiral let out a sigh. "Fine", the man propped himself up on his elbow. "Mind if I order for you", he asked politely. A grin formed as Katie nodded.

The marine stuck with what he knew which was a buffet of sorts. Meats ranging for pork, beef, to chicken, and even shellfish. He didn't really spare any expense since the officer rarely spent any. There was also a variety of vegetables and sauces which added as a filler for the young brunette.

The female was in heaven. From expression to the tone of her voice, it showed. Kuzan couldn't remember when a date was ever as nice as this. Could he even compare this to a date? They were just friends, right? Friends didn't go out together in that manner; what was going on was just the two of them having dinner and enjoying each other's company.

"Katie… I have to ask", Aokiji expressed. "Since you've been here, what do you think of the marines?"

"They're ok. Just many are really pushy. This morning was a good example", the young woman slumped forward.

"Oh", the admiral asked in surprise. "I thought most women liked that sort of thing", he added.

"Huh?! No way! What woman wants to have a bunch of guys to corner her and bombard her with personal questions that she would only tell friends?" Blue hues narrowed slightly. "It's intimidating. I've never been in that kind of situation before, let alone I feel sorry for the poor greeters. They usually are ignored without so much as a 'good morning' until today. Man… It was stressful. Plus, there's the fact that I'll forever be alone. I'd even think of going on a date or two if it weren't for the fact I'd be an accessory to a murder." Katie whimpered as she tapped her forehead to the table.

"Oh… What makes you say that?" He needed to confirm what he assumed this morning about her grandparents.

A loud thud hitting the window startled both parties at the table. Katie pointed in the direction of the display without looking while Kuzan turned his head out of curiosity. There was a Garp glowering down at the two from his full height with his nose pressed against the glass, his palms raised to his ears and placed firmly on the flat surface. His eyes angrily darkened over while his teeth bared. The menacing gaze was apparently towards both his granddaughter and the higher ranking officer. The vice-admiral had previously changed from his white attire to his black suit which suddenly resembled a man about to attend a funeral.

" _Laurel M. Katelyn_! I know you're not doing what I think you're doing", the snowy grey haired man bellowed.

"He doesn't seem angry at me", Kuzan blurted in surprise remembering the aftermath from this morning.

"Huh? Why would he?" Blue hues innocently blinked at the man across the table from her.

The admiral couldn't help but chuckle with a soft smile. He was starting to understand where she got her honest character. "Come join us", the admiral waved in.

Garp darted in before using an open hand to shove his granddaughter's face off to the side. Quickly the man snagged a freshly grilled piece of beef from her plate and gulped it down. "Grandpa, you _jerk_! Don't steal my food", she protested fiercely.

"When are you big enough to order this old man around", he barked back. "Yo... Aokiji", his tenor changed to a normal greeting before returning to Katie with a growl. The antics of the two had the marine admiral laughing hysterically. There wasn't a moment where food wasn't being stolen from the other. First Garp snatched her cooked chicken from her plate which caused a full retaliation of wrapping her sharp teeth around the tip of his chopsticks. His own meal eaten before he could even lift it.

"Want some sake", she politely asked the two after filling herself off her grandfather's plate.

"I normally drink wine. I'll", the officer was going to pass before Garp interrupted him.

"Sure sweetie! Ahaha!" The older marine laughed as staff came and cleared the table.

The little woman disappeared but not before stroking Aokiji's arm. Katie caught on to what he was trying to relay. The gesture was received and understood. His large palm clasped over the top of hers briefly. She enjoyed the officer's warmth as he appreciated the attention. The gentle touch sent goose pimples down his back. It was something he could get used to if he wanted. The question was, _**should he**_?


	25. Confession

**First wanted to say thanks for the kind words in your reviews! Second thing is I didn't proof read this very well. I'm sorry. Like I had warned, I'm working twelve hours a day until I'm off again which looks like Wednesday will be my last day for the week. Then we can return to our regular program!**

 **Have a great day!**

 **PS: Sorry for the giant chapter.**

The evening was filled with laughter. Kuzan learned a little bit about the young woman while Garp was more than happy to reveal the adoring yet embarrassing parts of her life. He did this out of jest because it earned her ire. It didn't take long for the three to split up. The admiral walked Katie home while the vice-admiral sought out Sengoku.

The two of them enjoyed the cooler night air. It mixed well with the hard alcohol in their systems. Katie's head felt light while her body tingled. The young woman's vision began to sway and discovered a heavy hand grabbing her shoulder from the opposite side. "Thanks", was all the brunette could muster as her cheeks began to glow with a strawberry hue.

The two of them stood outside their perspective homes. To the female's surprise, Kuzan didn't remove the warm grip. Instead his thick fingers fanned out slightly as he pulled her closer. He too was experiencing the effects of the wine in his system. After all, the man couldn't finish his fifth bottle unless going into the world of intoxication. In that moment, the admiral was walking the grey line between tipsy and inebriated. Every joint was loose and his stomach warm. The sensations of yearning, curiosity, and fervor the marine had been suppressing all day was beginning to surface.

Copper orbs watched the little woman under his arm. She seemed to smile brighter at the touch of his hand and he enjoyed that thought. The idea of someone welcoming his attention was more than he could ask for but it frightened him at the same time. "Katie… I'm a terrible person. You shouldn't get too comfortable around me", he warned with a frown forming in his soft expression. No doubt the officer wanted Garp's granddaughter to hold him, comfort him, but he was always at odds with himself. Years of guilt will do that to someone; voicing his concerns while longing to be close. His thoughts twisted and jumbled. Why was it so hard to think when he was drunk?

The brunette blinked at the admiral's sudden disheartening outburst. She sighed before sitting on the small platform that led up to her door. The young woman patted an empty spot on the concrete next to her. With his height, Kuzan easily leaned back and propped his shoulders against the wooden frame while he joined her.

The vertically challenged female did something that stole the marines breath. She slipped up into his lap and straddled his hips. Heat instantly surged through his loins. A lustful sigh left his lungs as muscle hardened under the smaller woman. Fingers slipped over her waist line to resist touching the rest of Katie's body but to his frustration, the man's strong hooks reached the curve of her rear. In his drunken mentality, the admiral gave a subtle squeeze to the supple flesh. A hiss of indulgence dislodged from her tongue.

What stopped Kuzan from taking any further action was that he could feel Katie's muscles growing more and more ridged. Her back was stiff. The woman's shoulders were square. The dead giveaway that the situation was not what the brunette had in mind was her cheeks growing a ruby color. He could feel the young female's breath being held while her heart beat wildly. With his hands on her, the twenty-three year old's body rocked with the pounding of the organ. He could feel every thump but he'd be lying if his wasn't doing the same.

" _Oh my_ … What's this? You often tell me to stop teasing you or you might take what I say literal but when you do something literal, I'm to take that as a _tease_ ", he questioned seriously. Kuzan raised a knee and let her lean back against his thigh. The plan was to raise her up and forward slightly to get the woman off his throbbing hood. The thin fabric of his pants couldn't conceal the embarrassing tent he was pitching. His appetite had gone full circle into carnal desires. The burning sensations forced the admiral to clench his teeth. That dress of hers was going to come off if she didn't start explaining herself.

"Wait! What? Tease? I...", the female blurted while her arms flailed in front. His sharp accusing eyes narrowed. "I'm not! I just wanted to give you a hug", she whined trying to break free of his flexing grip. Her cheeks darkened. "Please stop", Katie whimpered in bashfulness before pressing her forehead on his vigorous chest.

"It feels good but I have never had anyone do it before. I make weird sounds that are pretty humiliating. I'm really trying hard not to breathe every time you…" The petite woman had to suck in air through her teeth as the rush of heat touched her lower stomach. His large hands slipped down and engulfed her entire heart shaped rump. The firm squeeze lingered.

Moisture began to slowly build between her thighs and Katelyn felt shameful. She was simply die if her nose began to bleed. "I didn't think things through, did I?" Her question came with a thump of her forehead onto his chest. Kuzan began to chortle which worked itself into bubbled chuckles, and finally found himself bluntly laughing. A hand pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're fine", he confessed. "I should have realized it's just you being you. I was surprised by your boldness but now I think you've learned your lesson to _not_ crawl into a drunk man's lap. Provided I was a bit more intoxicated I don't think I could stop." If the young woman could glow in the dark, Aokiji would think she would be doing that about now. It was obvious from the nearly purple hue of her ears that she caught on to what he was spouting.

"Oh god. I'm so happy to hear that", she quickly responded. "I'm not the only one! I thought it was just me…", the little female whined. "Here I was trying not to slur my words or stagger about. I can handle some liquor but between you and grandpa I failed miserably. Now, as you have so graciously pointed out, I'm in a man's lap. A really hot man's lap at that and using his awesome chest as a pillow", Katie admitted without realizing what she had just said.

The admiral couldn't help but lay his head back and openly laugh. It hurt. Each breath was agonizing. His ribs felt like they were going to rip right through his lungs. His body was still hard-lined with physical heat but the situation was slowly unwinding him. Heavy arms coiled around the smaller woman before Aokiji leaned forward and buried his nose to the top of her head. The feeling of her arms wrapping around his sides relieved much of his duress.

"I really messed things up", the brunette added in a huff.

"Mmm", he hummed enjoying the sensation of her endowments molding to his firm muscle.

"What I wanted to say… You're not a bad person. For you to say something like that was a bit jarring. Terrible people don't feel guilt at least that's what my auntie Tsuru said. I know you have done some things that were pretty bad. Everyone in the upper ranks has. Don't forget I have a fleet-admiral for a grandpa", she paused to poke his rib.

"This doesn't make you any less dangerous though. I recognize that. I don't ignore the fact that you can out run me or that you're physically stronger. I'm not going to even touch that you're a devil fruit user which puts you at a much higher advantage." Katie's blue hues gazed up as she set her chin on the admiral's chest. Copper visions gazed back.

"Kuzan… I'm no saint either", she trembled. The man's arms loosened as torrid hands slipped up her bare arms. The gentle strokes encouraged her to continue. "At the age of fourteen I wanted to join the marines against the better judgement of both my grandfathers but Sengoku thought he'd let it happen. If I failed, so be it. Remember hurting people isn't something I can consciously do without feeling sick afterwards. Grandpa would at least let me try though."

The marine's hands lifted and cupped her cheeks. He remained folded around her wanting to hear what she had to say but also let his smile fade into a somber expression. Her mood had changed. She was no longer a blushing young female experiencing an ass-grabbing for the first time. This was something ugly but important to her. He'd listen without the butterflies in his stomach.

"So at the ripe age of fourteen I took the junior recruitment course. I passed the initial exam so well they made me an A-rank."

"You were going to go straight to Lieutenant's Academy afterward then", allowing his question to briefly interrupt her. She nodded before continuing.

"This also meant extra hard work which I was up for but… I was listed as Garp's granddaughter. The lieutenant commander in charge was Sakai Kane and he absolutely hated grandpa." Kuzan knew that name from somewhere. He couldn't put his finger on it. The man listened while he racked his brain.

"So he would work me day and night. One time I had to move an entire dune of sand from the beach to across the island to the gravel pits and back. I would do this for four maybe five days without sleep or even stop to eat. If I failed even once, he would punish the rest of the group while stating its because I was a traitor. He'd write reports saying I refused to follow his orders because of who my grandpa was. Stupid little lies like that even had the adults turn on me. Sengoku was disappointed. I even asked Bogard about the other kids retaliating against me and he simply answered no one in the marines cared for a tattler. He was disgusted with my actions and walked away after his inspections."

The officer had to take in a deep breath. If what she was saying was true, there should have been a large falling out. Everything the brunette said sounded solid. Adults would be too busy with their own work and wouldn't have the time to investigate the accusations. Trusting a ranking official is a given in almost any circumstance. It would be easy to single out a kid and turn everyone against them. The admiral didn't like where this conversation was leading but he'd hear her out anyways.

Katie let out a ragged breath. "Then my break came. Physical exams. Every six months kids have to be fully reviewed by the medical staff since the training is so rigorous. Doctor Fishbonen was the physician on staff and became alarmed that I had dropped so much weight; not to mention the bruises and stab wounds left from the other kids that would normally be covered up." The brunette sighed before hugging the officer closer to her. Silently Aokiji held her tightly.

"He immediately pulled me from the junior program and wrote several concerning reports to both my grandparents. With both being personally involved, their hands were tied. So a man by the name of Kong, a retired fleet admiral, got involved. I was already in my own mental state when he showed up. That's when I was presented as evidence by the medical staff. Kane, in retaliation, shoved the nurse to the side and proceeded to stomp me into the ground before anyone could stop him. I actually remember that part", the young woman added bluntly.

"Then there was a big fight that followed afterwards. Everyone got to see how much of a monster I can be. I hurt _so… many… people…_ Even the kids that participated in my punishments felt my wrath. I blacked out before the fight started but I was under constant surveillance when I woke up. I'm still trying to recover but I can't stop feeling guilty over what I did. And… Now you know why Bogard and I are on strange terms."

Before Katie could say another word, the man's lips captured hers. Kuzan had heard enough. After all that she still wasn't broken. Stronger, yes, that he could testify to. Heavy broad hands cupped her cheeks. His closeness wasn't allowing the brunette to pull away. Instead the woman felt raw heat hit her loins and the lower part of her insides. A thick appendage forced its way into her mouth. The admiral tasted good, she thought. Her head spun. Gingerly she kissed back unsure what to do. The wrestling match deep inside the caverns of her mouth was one sided.

The female's arms wrapped round his neck as a free hand slipped from her soft, velvety cheek to her lower back. The admiral hooked her with it and raised her body against his own. Delightful, lustful whimpers resonated through his lips from her own. Aokiji eagerly devoured her. His head spiraled but he wasn't going to stop. The mixture between alcohol, physical craving, and stirring feelings for her had blossomed into this.

The officer wasn't sitting idly either. Masculine vibrations worked their way from his throat. He even began clawing for air but didn't want to stop. Having someone like this was numbing the concerns in the back of his mind. Instead his heart was taking over. Katie was going to garner every bit of his attention.

"Kuzan", the brunette whispered after being able to break from the embrace of his lips. She wasn't able to get far as supple appendages brushed his own. Feeling every breath he took on her chin as his own mouth slanted over hers, caused more stirring in the female's own loins. Katie discovered that she couldn't stop trembling with anticipation and excitement.

"I … You… and I are drunk. So, I'm scared where this is heading", she murmured.

He smiled. The officer felt relief. He couldn't understand that part of himself either. The man needed her so badly it hurt but he wanted to savor his time with the woman. Have her really become his because there was no way he'd feel satisfied letting another put their hands on her and moving too fast would only ensure that would happen. "Katie… I'm going to make you mine. As a man that always gets what he wants, I will have you. So when that day comes… be _prepared_ ", he lustfully warned over a whisper.


	26. A Long Night

**Ello! Sorry again for the lack of proof reading, just super tired from work but as promised here's the chapter. Remember Monday and Tuesday there will be no update but Wednesday is my last day. There will be an update on that day. (Just might be super late.)**

 **So notes! Yes there are notes for this chapter. Blood types:** **X is equivalent to A; F is to B; S is to O; and XF is to AB. I also added RH factor. I tried to keep this as cannon as possible. I did fudge on the RH factor. It doesn't say in their bios what factor they are so I played around! XD Don't hang me, please.  
**

In the end, Katie was left feeling like a new born calf. Her legs were trembling and weak. They couldn't support her own weight. The brunette wasn't even sure how Kuzan got up, let alone walk away. The man was quaking as bad as she. The marine disappeared behind his door but not before saying "good night." The female returned the gesture but to her dismay it came out a bit higher pitched than she planned. With ivory cheeks turning a strawberry hue, the young woman buried her face into her hands as the officer broke out into a fit of laughter.

After a while, Garp's granddaughter found her legs. She was able to stand to her full length which was lacking vertically. The young woman groaned. "Why couldn't my dad share any of his height? Just a few centimeters. Greedy bastard", the petite female groused as she opened the door.

Once inside the ticking of the clock was the only thing echoing in the home. Katie slipped off her sandals before padding her way into the kitchen area. She grabbed an empty cup from the cupboard before filling it with water. The young woman raised the edge of the glass to her lips when she realized something in the dim light of her home. The brunette had no sense of smell and the clock shouldn't have been as loud as it was. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Before Garp's granddaughter could set down her water, she felt the hot projection of a blade rip through the sinew. Her cartilage torn apart by the force until oceanic blue visions gazed downward to see the tip of her chef's knife protruding just an inch above her navel. The brunette didn't even have time to scream before her hands had to wrap around the metal. The cup the twenty-three year old held shattered over the counter top with water spilling everywhere. Blue orbs seen the action but couldn't hear it. A mental note she tucked away for later.

The blade didn't even hurt, Katie thought before realizing her fingers were going to be sliced up if she didn't get a better grip. Feeling the sensation of breath on the nape of her neck, the female whipped her head back, forcing her assailant's nose to break. Whether it worked or not, she wasn't sure but the young woman could feel the pressure on the knife release.

The brunette tried to run away but slipped instead. The amount of blood she had already lost had pooled on the smooth wooden floor. Katie tried to stand but found herself unable too. Every time the female attempted to put a foot down, she'd hit the ground. Still she felt no pain. Her body was running on adrenaline. She needed to get away; needed to find help.

A scream worked its way from her lungs when the person got back on top of her. Katie agonizingly experienced her body being dragged backwards by the knife itself. That hurt! The heat inside her organs as they were shredded by the blade, was too much. Another screech filled the area but unknowingly no one heard her. The brunette was still thankful that it wasn't her lungs that had been stabbed but she knew if she let go it would be or worse, her throat.

The female struggled while unable to use her hands. Finally working herself on her side she was able to sweep the attacker's legs and give a hard kick using her armament haki. The stove behind the enemy was their only cushion. It folded like an accordion before being blasted through the plaster walls behind them.

To the twenty-three year old's surprise she still couldn't see the person or smell them. Not even her surroundings. The annoying sound of the ticking clock had disappeared but another problem had arose; Katie's vision was starting to blur. If she didn't get help soon, things were going to get worse, quickly.

Another attempt at standing finally became fruitful. Katie's gut burned, her chest hurt, her hands shook uncontrollably. Rattled wouldn't even be a word to describe how the young woman felt. Teeth clenched, the brunette had a plan. Survive. If she couldn't see, hear, or smell her enemy, she knew someone that could.

"Sorry", the female muttered as she stood before the right side of her wall near the entry. Katie wrapped her arm in armament haki before cocking back her fist and landing a straight punch. The wood, plaster, and brick cracked. Another hit broke her hand but she didn't feel it. She couldn't even hear the bone break. The wall opened to a medium sized hole.

Aokiji stood on the other side wide eyed. The man was speechless and confused until copper orbs soaked in the image of Katie. She was standing, shaking with rivers of crimson fluid running down her right leg and pooling under her feet. Her hair a mess, her face damp with sweat and possible tears. The brunette was unusually pale with dull dark eyes.

The admiral immediately jumped into action. His ice covered what was left of the wall and shattered upon his impact. Before her bruised knees could hit the ground, the protective marine was under her small frame. The curly haired man hoisted her in a bridal position. "I c..c..can't s..s..smell th..th..th..them", the woman in his arms stuttered.

Instantly both complexes were frozen over. His heart was racing. The admiral noticed something odd. He couldn't hear her or the cracking of his own ice. The man hadn't even heard the fight that apparently had taken place. As soon as his devil fruit ability was used, the aroma of her blood filled his nostrils. He could finally hear the drips of life hit the ground below them. The brunette was going to bleed out if he didn't get her treatment very soon.

Against everything the officer wanted to do, he rushed her to the medical facility near the training grounds. It was closer than a hospital. She was already unconscious and unaware of what was going on but with the knife still inside the man had no choice. A large group of medical staff took her from his arms and laid her gingerly onto a gurney before her tiny form disappeared behind double doors.

For the first time in a very long time, Kuzan felt sick. Helplessness wasn't something he was familiar dealing with. The admiral dangerously growled before he turned to leave. A short, black haired nurse rushed out to wave him down. Through desperate gasps, the smaller female explained Katie was an extremely rare blood type and only a handful of marines could donate. He was on that list. Another jerk to his insides made him freeze up.

"She's XF-negative. Since less than one percent of marines carry the same factor, the blood is stored at the hospital. We need a transfusion now! I'm sorry sir but since you're S-negative, you're the only one who can…"

The topless man placed his large hands on her shoulders. "Take as much as you like", Aokiji assured before following.

For the rest of the night, his mind was hazy. His thoughts were scattered. He had just finished his shower and put on a pair of blue and black flannel pajama pants before all this erupted. The admiral was left topless and barefoot but he didn't seem to mind it as much.

The officer wanted desperately to get back to the scene but was told to stay put at the hospital after her transfer. An investigative team had already arrived and was scouring the area. Not good enough, in his mind but he wasn't going to disobey Sengoku either. If this was an assassination attempt on his granddaughter because of her status then it was safer with an admiral to be beside her. Their hands were tied.

Two hours had passed and Aokiji was still left in the waiting room. He wanted to see how Katie was doing, at least. His mind kept dipping into dark places as he was about to go mad from being stir crazy. He couldn't leave yet he couldn't be with her. What was the admiral supposed to do?

The normally sleepy man was pacing, wide awake with seething anger. The only news he had been given wasn't good. Katie's bleeding hadn't stopped and he had already given as much as he could. Honestly, Aokiji didn't know what was worse; giving all you can and it still not be enough or not give at all?

" _~Oh… You look like hell~_ ", Borsalino's voice sang in his usual demeaning tone.

The younger admiral looked over just in time to get a shirt thrown to the face. The fabric caught him by surprise. A hand swiped the white cloth and pulled it over his head. It turned out to be a t-shirt with the blue marine logo on the front. "You don't look much better", Kuzan snapped back.

Kizaru approached wearing a pair of black flannel pants with yellow squares on them. A yellow jersey tank top with a matching knitted skullcap. It was odd seeing the man without his glasses, the curly haired officer thought. Aokiji took note that his longtime colleague was also absent of his trademark smile.

"How is she", the younger man asked as he folded his arms and braced his shoulders against the wall.

" _I don't know_ ", Kizaru sighed before shoving his hands in his pockets. " _They had me donate blood. I didn't get to see her_ ", he kept the conversation short. There was a painful edge in his tone.

"I'm going to ask and you don't have to tell me but what is it about Katie that you don't like", Kuzan blatantly questioned. His copper orbs drifted to down the sterile white hallway towards the operating rooms.

" _~Oh? There are things in a man's past that he shouldn't talk about but there are things he should but doesn't want too. I'm still deciding which one that is_ ~", Borsalino responded before pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lighting one up. " _For the record, I don't dislike her. She hasn't done anything to earn the marine's rancor_." The tall admiral paused to take a long heated drag off the tobacco stick stuck between his lips. Aokiji waved off the puffs of smoke before standing up straight. " _I-am-warning-you_ …", Kizaru continued. " _Don't press Sakazuki about it_."

Like a bad omen with devilish ears, a man who looked like the admiral Akainu quietly made his way passed the two officers. He was wearing a deep blue hoodie with marine's symbol on the back without the lettering but white loose shorts which reached passed his knees. From his muscular build to his unbelievable height, the youth resembled that of a much younger admiral. When the hood pulled back, it was as if the two higher officials were gazing at a mirror from their earlier days in the marines. The resemblance was uncanny.

Both were frozen with bewilderment. While the stranger had made his way to the nurse's station to ask something. His smile and mannerisms didn't match the person he appeared to be. In Aokiji's mind it was weird to watch Sakazuki's younger twin with such an expression. His tone was welcoming and polite. Something the older version never was.

"R", a female nurse squealed. He turned and raised his hand. "~Why are you here~", the bobble headed female with black hair asked with blushing cheeks and brilliant wide eyes.

"My baby sister was hurt. I just got back when the hospital rang me up on a den-den mushi. They informed me that she needs more donations so I came to both check on her and help out where I can", he sadly spoke. Despite the smile, both men recognized the bob of the Adam's apple. Like the admirals, R was swallowing his emotions. All three marines realized it was going to be a long night.


	27. Remembrance (pt 1 of 4)

**Ok since I can't update just using an author's note I figured this would be the next best course of action. This is part 1 of 4. My work has asked me to stay until Sunday and I'm pulling 14 hr days not 12. I'm very very tired but as promised I would post something. Please don't be upset. I know how it feels to find something you enjoy reading to have the author poof. I'm not doing that. Next week we will be resuming the regular daily updates.**

 **Also very sorry that this part isn't proof read. I haven't had the time nor energy to really work on it.**

 **Again, thanks for the support and I hope everyone is having a great week.**

Borsalino found himself nearly choking on the sweltering smoke caught in his throat. Narrowed eyes followed R until he couldn't see the tall young man. There was no denying it; that kid belonged to Sakazuki which meant that girl was really Angela's. The hard lump in the admiral's throat tightened. His anger began festering again. Unlike the other two, he was much keener on hiding it but he knew the expression he wore like a mask wouldn't work against Aokiji; whom he had known for years.

"~ _Excuse me_ ~", Kizaru voiced. The man's tone was overly pleasant which meant completely the opposite. His colleague raised a brow. Kuzan felt the urge to follow but remained. It seemed something about Katie's brother raised his temper which was a rare occurrence. Even enemies could barely get a rise but something about R seemed to instantly put him in a bad mood.

The older admiral quickly left the hospital to find a quiet place to think. It was in a park nearby. A quick three minute walk accompanied by his long strides put the tall man smack in the center. It was nearly midnight with stars watching from above. The sky was clear and the breeze was cool. Despite the fair summer conditions, he could feel a storm brewing.

Another long hit of his cigarette brought his mind digging up old memories. Borsalino couldn't remember how many times he had reminiscence about her. The times they'd take a short stroll on the board walk or simply laid her head in his lap while they read. Angela was always bright, always smiling, always laughing. Damn it, why did that blasted woman have to be so naïve, he asked himself before finding a bench to sit on.

It only took a month before the man realized his mistake. Starting with, they were men in their early thirties and she was just twenty two. Practically a girl. Sakazuki and he fought dirty to gain Angela's attention, as well. She didn't know what was going on. How could she; the woman gave without asking for anything in return, unlike the trophy hunters the three men were already used too. The little brunette thought they were just friends, helping fill a void since their third companion had been away for training.

In Borsalino's private world, he whimpered. Every time he thought of the tiny brunette, it burned inside his mind. The admiral ripped off his hat and ran his fingers through his black hair with the opposite hand. The marine was irritable. It had been about twenty-six years now, whenever he found himself sitting still the admiral remembered what he didn't want too. Many people have whispered about his cruelty in the past. They'd be right. It was a sort of release from the pain and guilt he inflicted on someone who was completely innocent; who absolutely didn't deserve to be tossed away or treated like what he did to Angela.


	28. Remembrance (pt 2 of 4)

**Good morning... I'm so tired... zzzzzzz**

 **Soon. Soon I can be home. Again another part to the latest chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

Kizaru took a long drag off his tobacco stick. His mind slowly reeling back and taking him places it was sometimes insufferable to see. The smell of her hair to the softness of Angela's skin. The admiral didn't want too but could even recall the sound of her voice and the way her eyes smiled when she said his name. He hated to admit it but the man was still in love. Painfully wholeheartedly. The most painful conversation relayed in his mind as dark, midnight eyes stared at the ground beneath his feet.

"~ _Angela_ ~…", he softly questioned with his arm folded under his head. It was lunch time and the two had found a picnic table under some trees near an ice-cream stand. The day was hot. He could still remember the smell of her vanilla perfume as she sat on the seat to the table. The man's legs covered in black clad cotton draped over the edge. The petite brunette with a thick long braid over her shoulder hummed with a red plastic spoon in between her lips.

"~ _Would you ever consider having kids in the future_ ~", his inquiry was light hearted at the time. It meant more as a conversational piece but there was an air of interest to the marine's tone. A free hand opened up his yellow colored t-shirt a bit more. The man felt like he was going to melt in the summer heat. He was tempted to take it off and just wear his white tank top.

"Oh, absolutely! I'm horrible with names though. I'd give my boy his father's name and I have no clue what I'd name my baby girl. But I can't even think of a relationship just yet. I still want to establish myself with the library. Then I can think of dating and marriage." With his eyes closed, Borsalino didn't see her expression when she answered but he didn't need too; the woman was always adorably serious with these types of conversations. To this day, the officer could practically see her cheeks puffed with her nose slightly wrinkled.

The marine chuckled before adjusting his golden yellow skull cap with his free hand. "~ _How about Katelyn? Hmm? It's a name I'm quite fond of._ ~" Kizaru opened one eye to see his little friend sparkle with stars in her eyes. The sight brought an honest smirk to his lips.

"I love it! It's so pretty! Ok, Katelyn it is!" For some reason, seeing her face light up with that much joy made his own heart beat fast. He couldn't understand it. The man was a marine, a harden soldier in the navy. Why? Why did it make him so happy to see her like that? Even back then, those two same questions rose to the forefront of his mind. It wasn't just that moment either. It was always when the officer brought her a book or a favorite snack.

Why did this all have to end so quickly? Borsalino knew, he just didn't want to admit it. It all fell apart because of him. It would have been easy to blame Sakazuki for taking things too far but in the end, it was **he** who left her own and threatened to kill her when he got back after suffering a major defeat against pirates. If the little woman hadn't had, the marine knew he would have made good on his promise before he had a chance to calm down.

The admiral dragged the last inhalation of smoke through the filter of his cigarette, slowly. The burn was more of a distraction. He held the caustic sensation in his lungs as his mind twisted back again. It had been a week from the moment the officer had threatened Angela. His storm had calmed and he wanted to hear the rest of what she had to say. To really see if she was just another damn trophy hunter or just put in a bad situation.

The officer visited her apartment first. The small cubical was left untouched. Like she hadn't been there for years except the scattered dried blood stains on the wooden floor. They were throughout the entire home. Borsalino found something he was **not** prepared for. He slid the closet door open since the stains seemed clustered between the bed and the door. The rancid smell hit his nose but he pressed on and dragged a powder blue sheet set out with his foot. The sight both horrified and made him worry. For a man who had been compared to sociopath due to lack of empathy for most, he was nearly brought to his knees.

Kizaru checked her work at the library first but they hadn't seen her for the last week. They had even sent someone by but she wasn't home. The marine checked the hospital and they wouldn't release any information. He wasn't family; they were simply protecting her privacy. The officer was vexed. All he could do was return to her home for the time being.


	29. Remembrance (pt 3 and 4)

**Hi! Hope everyone is good. Here to say that this is the last chapter to wrap up the first series. Starting Monday, the second series starts. Yay! Its just a continuation of this one. I just didn't want to intimidate future readers with a plethora of chapters. So if you enjoyed this one, please come check out the start of season 2! Always wanted to say that. XD**

 **Anyways, I'm tired. I will be slowly going back over these chapters and proof reading when I have the time. I'm also home for this month. Next month I won't be around as much. My work season starts and I gotta pay those bills. :) Anyways, thank you so much for all the love and support! I hope to continue to see you guys in the future.**

It didn't take long for the admiral to figure out that Angela had left the day after he had threatened her. To add to the severity of the situation, Borsalino had pulled strings to gain access to her medical file and what he discovered sickened him. A man of his caliber had even been physically shaken. The doctor who had reported to him had explained the amount of trauma and suffering she had went through. He was not only worried about the physical damage done to such a small body but her mental state. The last he seen her was the day she reportedly disappeared.

Angela had come to retrieve antibiotics and pain killers for a trip the doctor had seriously advised against. The bleeding hadn't stopped and extensive exercise would endanger her ever having children in the future. He was also concerned about the new swelling of her left cheek. It was dark, forcing her eye to be remained closed. The red headed medical professional thought it might have been broken but she wouldn't let him examine her any further. The girl in his eyes, was scared, almost catatonic, but most of all trying to distance herself from the event.

The marine was reminded of two very important things that day. First, Angela wasn't a marine; she was a kind hearted woman who only saw the two men as friends. The brunette had said many times she wasn't interested in those kinds of relationships. Not until she was done establishing herself in the local library on Marineford.

The second being, Sakazuki will always take things too far. Kizaru had gone to his colleague and asked what happened personally after reading the report himself. Frustrated, angry, and even vengeful, he didn't know what to be. The officer figured he'd find out as soon as he understood the situation a bit more.

" _What happened_ ", Borsalino asked the slightly taller marine in a straight forward tone.

Akainu looked up and pulled back the white hood to his hoodie. The officer's dark eyes flashed a warning. It was clear he wasn't expecting his friend to appear so suddenly. The other seamen cleared from the map room. The large area was dark and quiet. A good place to hold conversations or to study.

"You mean with Angela", there was a gruff tone to the man's voice.

" _Who else_ ", Kizaru darkly breathed as he tossed the medical folder on the round table next to the officer.

"Where is she", Sakazuki cut in with concern lacing his question.

" _Away… From us…_ ", the younger man in yellow snapped. " _So now tell me_ ", he paused briefly before stepping up to the taller, heavier marine. " ** _What…did…you…do_** ", the raven haired man snarled lowly. With the grace of a cat, Kizaru tossed his glasses on the table.

The other male didn't take well to the challenge his friend had issued. The normal scowl the marine in white usually put on display, deepened. His eyes became fixated into the black orbs of the other. The two giants stood merely inches from each other's nose. Each could feel the other's hot breath. Nostrils were flaring.

The naval officers had already eaten their respective fruits and a fight indoors would only lead to repairs and possible injured bystanders. Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened. Each man put his feelings on the line and every painful punch, burn, or shot helped ease the guilt for what they did to their tiny female friend.

 **Damn it** …, the admiral thought as he was brought back to the current reality. That fight lasted nearly an hour. They had taken out nearly a quarter of the island but one thing became frightfully clear, Akainu had become passionate about Angela. There was no way he was going to lose her to Borsalino and the more level headed friend understood why.

Angela wasn't frightened of either of them. She didn't care what they did at work; just if they came home and in what condition they were in. The top heavy woman often scolded them both for being reckless. Going as far as threatening to not make them dessert and **that** was a sin. That blasted woman could cook. She had a way of making everything taste better. He couldn't even understand it himself.

As Kizaru's mind digressed, his long-time colleague had confessed over that hour. What Angela had done wrong was wear the right flattering dress, put on seductive perfume, and go out with friends to places she normally wouldn't have. Essentially the woman was guilty of letting her hair down. To help usher in the perfect storm, the tiny brunette needed to be saved by Sakazuki, who had been under the influence of alcohol prior to going out to fetch more sake. The marine had seen her and two of her friends cornered by a random meat head at Balcony's Bar. An open area establishment popular in the summer.

The marine knew she wanted to go home but the two twits with her convinced her to stay. The marine decided to remain by Angela's side. According to the younger officer, she clung to his arm. He drank to keep his hands from traveling too much and she drank to keep her worry in check. Things started going south when Akainu's drunken mind mistook his own advances being turned down as a challenge and a tease. When they got to her apartment, he let himself in. Her struggling only excited the officer and he saw her fear as compliance; since she was too afraid to say no, his mind thought that she wanted him and he was going to make her his.

At some moment in the fight, Borsalino truly came to realize, his long time friend hadn't done this to Angela out of maliciousness. Deep down it was the very same reason **he** loved her and it hurt to know that Sakazuki held such care for her in his own way. This wasn't two men simply rivaling over the affections of a woman, it was love and guilt on the line. The victor would be able to bring her home.

Kizaru, Akainu, and even Kuzan were compared to sociopaths, cruel men without any feeling and sadly it was true. Friend or foe, didn't matter. A job was a job and it needed to be done. Executions, man hunts, torture, and buster calls. It was all something they had to do. Their feelings were on a switch; they'd flip it off and keep everything at a distance. Easier that way for of them but then came along this beautiful woman with long chocolate colored hair, large blue eyes, and a tender smile. She ripped away their hardened lifeless foundations and made them human again. Even if it was deathly painful in the end, the admiral would never give up those memories with her.


End file.
